Forbidden
by fire mystic
Summary: Finally thinking of herself first, Tifa finds what she is looking for in someone totally unexpected, and totally forbidden. Genesis/Tifa. Full fic behind Secrets, Stolen Moments, and Sweetest Dreams.
1. Encounters

_Here it is. The full fic behind the little snippets (_Secrets_,_ Stolen Moments_, and_ Sweetest Dreams_). You don't have to have read the snippets to read this. They stand alone and this stands alone, but they are all little pieces of the same story. Some of this chapter may be familiar; I had to cover some of the basic story from Secrets in this chapter in order to clarify how Tifa gets to this point._

_Rating: This chapter is tame, but erotic content is inevitable._

_Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from ffvii or any of it's characters, but I would certainly like to take this crimson angel home with me for a while._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Encounters

Tifa caught sight of him standing at the waters edge. When he had appeared there, she had no idea; she hadn't seen or heard his approach. It was a flash of red in the brilliant sunlight that brought her attention to him, and now she couldn't turn away.

She had come here to get away. Away from the bar, away from the children, away from Cloud, away from her friends. She was tired. So tired, and it had nothing to do with her aching body at the end of each long day. That could be cured with a long soak in the tub. The fatigue that had her really worried refused to be dispelled. She had needed an out, a change of pace where she didn't have to do and see the same things day in and day out. She had needed a vacation.

She had realized some hard truths in the past year. Now that Sephiroth had been dealt with, hopefully for good this time, things had calmed down quite a bit, and into that calm crept a nasty revelation.

Life was passing her by.

Not to say it hadn't been a full life. She had certainly kept busy, working, taking care of the children, taking care of her friends, being a member of AVALANCHE.

But when had it ever been just about her?

Maybe she should thank Cloud. After all, he was the one that had brought it all to her attention. She had been sitting, leaning against the bar, her head resting in her hands, the lights turned down after closing, when she heard the opening and closing of the door.

"We're closed."

"It's me, Tifa."

She turned to Cloud's voice, and at the sight of him, the knowledge hit her like a bolt through the heart. As much as she had wanted it, once upon a time, she was never going to be his. His heart belonged to others first, and though there was plenty of room in there for her as a friend, even as family, she didn't want to take second place, not to another woman, or man, for that matter, and that proverbial crystal clear bell was ringing furiously now; there had never been a chance for her and Cloud, and not because of him; because in her heart she knew she would never be first with him.

It was that realization that set the wheels in motion for a vacation that would isolate her from her friends and give her time to think about what she wanted, not for everyone else, but for herself. She had chosen a small town, somewhere off the beaten trail, somewhere none of her friends would consider looking for her. She had taken great care while making the arrangements for the trip, taking every precaution that her friends were unaware of her plans. She had let them know she would be taking a vacation, had even gone so far as to lie about her destination when Yuffie pushed her. Of course she was going to Costa del Sol! Where else would she be going? At Yuffie's suggestion that they meet up sometime during the trip, Tifa had almost burst into tears, but managed to control herself at the last second, and quickly promised Yuffie that she would think about it. Needless to say, she didn't mention it to Yuffie again, and when Yuffie repeated her offer on the day she left, she had made a vague promise to keep in touch. She had followed through with that promise, as far as she was concerned, with a postcard she picked up at the train station, which she dropped in the mail at the second station where she caught a connecting train, leaving no way to track her progress. She had felt guilty about her secretive actions, but kept reminding herself that this was finally about her, not her friends.

The inn she had chosen, quite randomly, turned out to be very quant and peaceful. It was tiny, but she had a very private room that overlooked the countryside. Setting out on a walk the first day, she had found this little spot by the water, so peaceful, so pretty, the surface reflecting deep blue sky occasionally interrupted by a cloud or two, and the countless shades of green of the surrounding trees. It was a place where her body could relax and her mind could rest and focus. She had come here everyday since, this being the fourth day, but it was the first time she had seen anyone else in the area.

Her mind raced with questions. Who was he? Did he come here often? Where had he come from? Did he find this place as peaceful as she did? Is that why he came? Did he know she was there?

She didn't think he was aware of her; she was hidden by the branches and shade of a large willow tree. She observed him from there. He was tall, definitely over six feet, and his lean body was hidden beneath a leather duster that was a deep, vibrant red, highlighted with black epaulets. His hair, hanging straight past his ears but not quite to his shoulders, shone brilliantly red in the sunlight, kissed with the faintest traces of gold. The profile of his face suggested sharp features and a long, graceful neck, and Tifa found herself longing for him to turn his head just a bit more so she could see his entire face, his eyes.

He seemed completely engrossed in whatever he was doing. What was he doing? She could see his lips moving, and he was gesturing one long arm out at the water. Was he summoning? Praying? She couldn't tell, but didn't dare interrupt him with her own movement. If he continued the way he was, he wouldn't even notice her there. Part of her wanted that, yet another part of her thrilled at the thought of his recognition. She remained very still as long minutes slid by. At long last, his arm dropped to his side, and a few moments later, he turned to leave, apparently oblivious to her presence.

She released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she watched him move away with long, purposeful strides, and as she thought the possibility was gone, he turned as he walked, pinning her with his gaze even as he moved, eyes narrowing, totally, completely aware of her. And just before he turned away again, before he disappeared from view within the trees and an outcropping of boulders, she thought she saw his mouth curve in the slightest hint of a smile.


	2. Windows to the Soul

_A short chapter entailing Tifa in the aftermath of her first encounter with Genesis. I may have taken some liberties by creating a Shinra facility, but we didn't really trust them anyway, did we? We all know they have little secrets hidden all over the place!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Windows to the Soul

Mako eyes.

Could she have mistaken that luminescence? Was it possible his eyes were simply that bright, that startling?

On her walk back through town, she couldn't help but glance around, eyes searching for any trace of the red of his coat rounding a corner, or of his hair catching the late afternoon sunlight. Would anyone know him if she described him? With his height and coloring, surely he would stand out. Or did he ever come into town?

"Why am I obsessing like this?" The people walking past her looked at her, startled. Uhoh. She had said that last part out loud.

She returned to the inn in time to have dinner with the innkeepers, who were a lovely older couple that had long since seen their children grow up and move away. Tifa enjoyed their company, and appreciated their ability to take care of their guests without crowding them.

She sat listening as they told her of interesting places she might want to visit while she was in the area. She had told them she was interested in peace and quiet, and they knew of many places in the area that would offer her a combination of solitude and beauty. They were the places she couldn't find on a tourist map.

Tifa decided this was the perfect time to ask them about the area around the lake where she had been spending much of her time.

"I found a beautiful lake in the woods on the other side of town. Do you know anything about that area?" It was an innocent enough question and Tifa managed to inflect it with just the right amount of curiosity. The reaction she got, however, was uneasy.

"Do you mean the woods that lead up into the hills?" Minna asked.

Tifa's brows furrowed. "Yes, now that you mention it, there are hills beyond the trees."

Minna looked at her husband, Asa, who had suddenly made himself very busy eating.

"What? Is there something I should know? Should I not go there?"

Minna laughed, but there was a tightness about it. "Oh, no, dear. I'm sure it's perfectly fine. Just be careful. There aren't any houses out that way in case something happens, and well, there are stories about those woods. There have been stories ever since Shinra left town."

Shinra? Shinra had been here? That was impossible. Tifa thought back to her days with AVALANCHE. She had certainly known where all the Shinra reactors were. The knowledge had faded a bit, but wouldn't she have recognized the name of this town if Shinra had a major facility here.

She posed her question very innocently. "Shinra? The same Shinra Electric Power Company that owns the Mako reactors?"

Minna's smile was easier this time. "That's the one. But there's nothing so grand as a reactor in these parts. Just an old abandoned research facility."

Tifa hoped they hadn't noticed that she had stopped chewing. Her hands lifted, subconsciously brushing her hair back behind her ears

"Shinra deserted it years ago, but the stories remain. You know how kids are, letting their imagination run wild. There are always stories about how you can hear machines up there in the dead of night, and such. Silly ghost stories. I imagine all the kids go up in those woods just to spook themselves. But the old place is locked up tight as a drum. No one's been in there for years."

Something tightened in Tifa's chest. Mako eyes. Shinra. Research facility. She had a sneaking suspicion that the facility may not be abandoned as Shinra would have liked the natives to believe. She hoped her feelings weren't written across her face.

She spent the rest of the evening debating whether to call someone with this information. But what did she really have to tell them? All she had were suspicions, after all. She had no proof whatsoever that the man she had seen wasn't anything but another wanderer enjoying the view.

She talked herself out of the phone call, convincing herself it was for logical reasons, but she felt guilty. A tiny spark in her mind kept igniting, whispering that it wasn't for logical reasons at all. She didn't call simply because she didn't want to; didn't want to deal with any drama it might create, didn't want her friends to know how far out of her way she had gone to escape, didn't want her newly found personal space incringed on by another Shinra fiasco. She would do a bit of poking around herself, and if needed, she would call later. Otherwise, she was leaving it alone. After all, she was on vacation, and she was going to enjoy it.

Letting it go for the night, she cracked open a one of the windows, just enough to let in a bit of cool, fresh air, and snuggled down in the comfort of the soft mattress and the warm comforter, her mind drifting off until sleep took her.

She dreamed that night.

Warm, delicious dreams, tainted with the slightest bit of red. The dreams would fade upon waking, leaving nothing but a single image behind.

Blue eyes.

Mako eyes.


	3. A Little Something

A Little Something

With the morning sun came a compulsion she couldn't control. Every fiber in her was screaming, telling her she had to investigate the woods surrounding the lake, and she knew suppressing the urge would be painful.

She ate breakfast, pushing the excitement of adventure down, and managing to present a calm attitude to Asa and Minna even though she was hyper-aware of her hands fidgeting uncontrollably. She stayed at the table for an acceptably polite amount of time, and left before the excitement had the chance to simply gush out of her. She was surprised, when she reached the door, when Minna met her with a small bag.

"I suspected your curiosity might get the best of you and you would be adventurous today, so I packed you a bit of lunch." She pressed the straps of the bag into Tifa's hands with a small smile, letting her hands remain for a moment. "Be careful."

"Thank you, Minna. That was very thoughtful of you."

Minna's smile brightened. "You have reminded me of the joys of having my children at home. It is my pleasure."

Tifa set out, the lake her first destination. It seemed the most logical place to start. Perhaps she could find a path that she hadn't noticed before. She had been so enraptured with the beauty of the lake itself that she hadn't really investigated further. As the glitter of the water came into sight through the trees, her heart hammered, half expecting her mysterious stranger to step out onto the trail in front of her. It didn't happen, and he wasn't standing at the water's edge, either. She slipped under the willow tree she had been sitting under to get perspective on the exact spot he had been standing. Once she was sure, she walked over to stand at the edge of the water where he had been. She looked around from that spot, but saw no evidence of his having been there.

"What did you expect, Tifa?" She muttered to herself. "An 'I was here' sign?"

She turned in the direction he had taken and started walking past the outcropping of boulders. There was nothing immediate, but as she moved further into the trees, she picked up what she thought was a worn trail. It was as good a place to start as any. She stuck to that trail, which became clearer as she walked. When it branched off, she stayed straight so she wouldn't get lost. She could always come back the next day and explore the other trails with something to mark where she had been.

She walked a good part of the morning, stopping occasionally to rest. For a long time, everything around her looked the same, but slowly, more rocks started to emerge, steadily increasing along with the slope of the ground until she realized she was moving into the foothills that Minna had spoken of.

Then the trail disappeared, opening out into a rock-strewn clearing.

She looked around the area as much as she dared without losing sight of the trail, finding nothing, then decided it would be smarter to give up for the day and come back better prepared. She sat briefly on a nearby rock, taking a rest before she headed back down the trail, and immediately felt exposed, vulnerable, the hair on her arms standing on end. Was it just nerves? She had the distinct impression she was being watched. She looked around, searching the surrounding trees and rocks and up into the low rise of the hills, and although there was nothing to be seen, the feeling refused to subside, leaving her more than eager to get back to the lake. She made faster time on the way back, and felt profound relief when she finally spotted the water. She took refuge under the willow tree, a spot she was particularly fond of, and took out the sandwich Minna had made for her.

A morning spent looking had turned up nothing. She could spend days out here searching the area, but her time was limited. Maybe she was going about this the wrong way. Maybe she should approach it more directly; ask Minna where the Shinra facility was and walk up to the front door.

She brushed the thought aside. That wouldn't work. If someone was using the supposedly defunct facility, they weren't going to use the front door, and they certainly wouldn't answer it when she knocked.

She had finished her lunch, and stretched out under the tree, closing her eyes. A cool breeze shifted through the tendrils of branches and she turned her face to it, inhaling the fresh air deeply. There were birds singing somewhere in the distance, the steady croak of a frog nearby, and an occasional splash as a fish broke the surface of the water

Her eyes snapped open. She sat up, slightly disoriented, searching her surroundings. She had fallen asleep, she realized, lulled by the exertions of the morning and the fresh air. The sun hadn't moved much in the sky; she couldn't have slept long, yet something had changed, something that she couldn't quite place. She took a deep calming breath, and it struck her, on the air, a scent that tantalized the senses and struck a deep feminine chord within her. It was a scent that was distinctly male, clean, slightly exotic, with the faintest trace of spice and the familiar, comfortable smell of leather.

She knew it was him. She jumped up and around, sure he would be standing behind her.

Nothing. Nobody. But she was positive her instincts were not lying to her. She circled again, searching the entire area. Still nothing. If he had truly been there, if this wasn't a nasty trick of her imagination, he was now gone.

Filled with a disappointment she couldn't completely identify, Tifa headed back to the inn. It would be insane for her to look any further; the shadows were starting to get longer. She walked slowly, contemplating. Had he really been there? Had he watched her while she slept? Had he been watching her in the woods? If any of that was true, why didn't he just approach her? Was he scared? She didn't think so, not by his reaction the previous day. Was he being cautious? That was laughable; yes, she knew how to fight, and could handle herself in most situations, but considering the impression she had of him, there was nothing for him to be cautious of. Was he crazy? Now that…that was a possibility.

She had cleaned up and was resting in her room when there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, Minna held a flower out to her.

"You forgot this."

It was delicate, beautiful. Red leaves surrounding a blue center.

"It's very pretty, Minna, but I don't know what you mean. It's not mine."

"Oh?" The little woman's eyebrows furrowed. "That's strange. It was in your lunch pack. They are very common up in the mountains. I thought you had picked one to bring home with you."

In your lunch pack. Tifa ran the words over in her mind, thinking back. Her pack had been open when she picked it up to head back to the inn, but she was sure she had closed it after she ate.

"Hm," she murmured, taking the flower from Minna. "I must have forgotten. I was a bit tired there at the end. Thank you for finding it."

"They really are very pretty, and they smell wonderful. You'll find a bud vase in the bathroom cabinet." She bustled off down the hall, humming quietly.

Tifa had her proof. Well, proof for herself, at least. Obviously the flower would never prove anything to anyone else. He must have been there, and he had left the flower. Tifa couldn't contain the wave of excitement that rushed through her body, a wave that was a wicked mixture of feminine delight and the danger of the unknown, with a dash of exhilaration at the knowledge that whatever was happening, whatever tomorrow brought, it would belong to her.


	4. Unexpected

_I cannot tell you how many times I rehashed, rewrote and rearranged this one. Genesis gave me such a hard time with this chapter. Okay, I might not mind a hard time with him, but Tifa wasn't exactly cooperative either! _

_It occurred to me that I should make a note to anyone who reads this concerning the timeline of this story and the events of the various ffvii installments (beware any spoiler here): I have never played Crisis Core, and I'm just starting to work my way through Dirge of Cerberus. I know Genesis supposedly dies at the end of CC, but then makes a last minute appearance at the end of DoC. So, while I know he survives, I don't know the details. So. This is set (at least starts) sometime after Advent Children and before Genesis' return in DoC. As to any break from the explanation of where Genesis was all that time: I'm ignoring it so I can play with him for a little while. How do I know he was suspended in that bubble all that time? He's a sly one. I'm sure if he wants to play, there's not much out there that can stop him. I'm also writing with the assumption that he is not degrading as he was in CC. He's back, in all his splendid crimson glory. But you already figured that one out, I'm sure!_

_Enjoy,_

_fire mystic_

Unexpected

The window was open.

Had she opened the window before she went to sleep? Maybe. She had been so high on the strange feelings shifting through her body that she couldn't remember anything past them. Would Minna have come in and opened the window? No. Probably not.

She stretched languidly on the bed, enjoying the comfort of the soft mattress against her relaxed muscles, laying like that for a few moments, simply breathing the fresh air, eyes closed against the warm sun filtering in through the lacey curtains. It had the feeling of a good day, a day full of potential, full of promise, and after the subtle events of the previous evening, a day full of who knew what kind of possibilities. One last stretch and she bounced up out of the bed, ready for any of those possibilities, and headed for the bathroom for a shower.

She stopped dead in her tracks before she got to the foot of the bed, slowly turning back to the bedside table that, since last night, had been graced by the little red flower in its tiny vase. A piece of paper now sat beside it.

Tifa approached it as if approaching a dangerous animal, reaching out with a trembling hand to pick up the folded parchment. She turned it gingerly within her tentative grasp, inspecting it front and back before opening it. Her breath caught in her chest as she read the elegant handwriting within.

"It is time we met. You know where to find me."

She read the short message over and over, hypnotized by the simple words on the page. Of all the possibilities she had just been thinking of, this hadn't been among them. Dazed, she glanced at the open window, then back at the bedside table.

He had been in her room. That meant…She didn't know which emotion should win out; her gut twisted with fear and more than a bit of anger, but the butterflies fluttering within belonged to neither of those.

By the time she was dressed and stepping out in the hall, it no longer mattered. Her curiosity was going to get the better of her, and whatever else she did today, it would start with her facing this mystery head on.

She was greeted cheerfully by Minna at the bottom of the stairs.

"You slept late, Dear, but I left a bit of breakfast for you on the kitchen table. I have to go to town this morning to do some shopping. Is there anything I can get you?"

Tifa acknowledged her with a warm smile. "Thank you, Minna, but I'm fine, really, and thank you for leaving me breakfast."

"Oh, it was no trouble at all. I'll be off now. You have a wonderful day." She was about to walk through the door when Tifa called her back.

"Minna, you didn't happen to come into my room for something last night or this morning, did you?"

"Of course not, dear. I would never disturb your privacy like that." Her brow reflected her worried frown. "Did something happen?"

"No, no, nothing like that." Tifa didn't like lying to the woman, but she didn't want her to worry, either. "I thought I heard something, but I think it was just a strange dream. I just wanted to be sure."

Having reassured her that nothing was wrong, Tifa saw Minna off on her errands, and then went to the kitchen to find the muffins Minna had left her. She nibbled at one, but was too eager to have much of an appetite. She finally put the muffins in the same bag from yesterday, which Minna had left next to the muffins with another lunch packed. Tifa heart warmed at the mothering care the woman gave her. It had been a long time since Tifa had benefited from this type of attention.

When she arrived at the lake, having made record time, she approached cautiously, mentally preparing for one of three actions; fight, flight, or confronting him over his method of contacting her.

She fought down the disappointment when she found the clearing around the lake empty. After all, he hadn't specified a time in his note. She stood in the same spot he had stood the first day she had seen him, letting the lap of the water mesmerize her, and as time passed, she started to feel silly. What was she doing here, waiting for this man that she knew nothing about? Waiting for him when her instincts told her she should run the other way? What was it about him that made her sense danger, yet made him irresistible? She had just managed to convince herself to leave, forget all about it, when her senses came to full alert.

He was there. Standing behind her. She hadn't heard him, hadn't seen him. She just knew.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She barely squeaked the words out. What a silly thing to say; what had happened to all the other things that had been running through her head?

"Its beauty pales in your presence."

His voice was masculine yet not too deep, his words clearly enunciated, contemplative.

He paused, then "You are trembling."

She spun around too quickly to face him, feeling slightly surreal. He stood straight and tall before her, broad shoulders squared.

"You are afraid of me, yet you came."

She had planned exactly what she was going to say to him, but now, face to face with his sharp, aristocratic features, and feeling the full weight of those pale blue eyes, she was completely undone. The clothing that she could now see beneath the leather duster, the mako eyes; there was no doubt her suspicions had been true. She opened her mouth, not sure what she was going to say, and therefore blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind.

"You're with SOLDIER."

His eyes widened, flashing something dark and dangerous. "That is why you wanted to meet me?"

Tifa shook her head. How was it he kept catching her off guard?

"No." Her voice wasn't working right. Neither was her brain. "No, that's not why I came." She shook her head, trying to clear it. "I came because…because…"

He was making a show of slowly removing one leather glove. Her words dried up in the fascination of this small action.

"Come closer." And she actually took a step towards him. Long, graceful fingers reached out, snagging a lock of her hair and letting it slide through his fingers as he leaned closer still, leaning into her. Was he going to…?

His lips touched hers, a whispered caress, but her entire body reacted, a hot tendril spiraling through her. She jerked back, away from the overwhelming sensation. The world stilled to nothing but the heartbeat of space that was between them and the tension that filled it. Tifa knew in that instant what it felt like to be prey. He didn't move, didn't try to pull her closer; he waited, just within reach, silent and still except for his eyes which searched her with a primal gleam that was cunning and seductive. She had never experienced such a look, or had knowledge of it, and it frightened her as much as it ignited something similar within her.

He stood straight again, that strange energy fading from his eyes.

"Perhaps this was a mistake."

Senseless panic seized her.

"I don't even know your name."

"But you know I'm with SOLDIER."

"It's your eyes. And your clothes." The leather straps criss-crossing his chest over a black shirt reminded her of similar apparel on another SOLDIER.

He glanced down at himself. "Ah. That causes one to wonder."

She fell into the baited trap without hesitation. "Wonder what?"

"What else you may have noticed about my body."

She averted her eyes completely, feeling the heat rush to her face.

"Perhaps we should start more simply, then."

With his ungloved hand, he reached out and wrapped the warmth of his fingers around her hand.

"Genesis Rhapsodos."

Drawing her back to him, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on the smooth skin.

"T..Tifa. Tifa Lockhart." Goddess! She was stuttering over her own name. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so awkward around him? With only a few words between them, she had let him kiss her, not even knowing his name. Why did she think that if he tried again, she would offer no resistance? When had it become this warm? Insanely, she wondered if he had the ability of hypnotism and was somehow muddling her mind.

He released her hand, his fingers trailing against the warmth of her palm.

"Will you walk with me?"

He was offering his arm. It was such an antiquated, courtly gesture. Did men still do that?

Genesis watched her patiently, arm extended, doing nothing to encourage her. He had offered, and now he waited for her to come to him.

She threaded her arm with his, skin tingling as it slid along warm leather, and let him lead her along the water's edge.

"I have so many questions." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I am sure you do."

"Will you answer them?"

He stopped abruptly, stepping slightly away but not dropping her arm. Long strands of hair fell into his face. Was this it, then? She had hardly met him, and he was hiding. Would he walk away now, leaving her curiosity simmering, leaving her to forever wonder about him?

His answer surprised her.

"I will, so far as I am able."

"What does that mean?" Tifa knew this was important.

Whatever else happened between them, a ground rule was about to be set.


	5. Choices

_Yes, I know this chapter is short; I just feel compelled to end them where they feel like they should end. I hope I am not causing anyone severe pain by being a bit of a tease. Hopefully it will just leave you wanting more._

_No, I am not a huge fan of Aerith (who does not make an appearance in this), but just to clarify on the flower thing, I will not be turning Tifa, or Genesis for that matter, into another version of "the flower girl"; they are a tiny bit symbolic of Genesis (wouldn't they have to be red?) and other than that, nothing more than romantic._

_Thank you for the reviews. Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Choices

He turned from her then, letting her arm drop from his. What was that? Fear? Hesitation? Hiding? Would he walk away now, leaving her forever curious about who this mysterious man was?

"Tifa, I…"

Something lurched deep within her, an instinct that said if she didn't speak now it would be too late.

"No." Tentatively, she reached a hand out, and placed it firmly on his elbow, her fingers clinging to the supple leather. His breath caught as his head turned sharply to look at that hand gently apply pressure, bringing him back around to face her. He had a slightly bewildered expression, as if she startled him, eyes intensely locking with hers. She lifted her fingers to press them to his mouth.

"Don't answer that." She didn't want the answer. She didn't want to lose the feeling of mystery. She didn't want to be warned.

She felt as if she were standing at the edge of a precipice, faced with turning back, playing it safe, or taking the chance, jumping off the edge into the unknown.

She had never felt this way about any man. No man had ever looked at her like this, fascinated her like this, or made her feel, with just a glance, this flutter within that tensed her in a sharp yet pleasant way. No man she knew would have dared to kiss her without so much as an introduction. Well, Reno might have, but she refused to give him the chance.

To hell with ground rules.

She wanted to jump off the edge.

Genesis was still watching her, eyes not so much flickering from hers, the pupils dilating while the outer rim of blue grew even brighter.

Tifa wanted to know what those eyes would look like in the throes of passion.

His lips parted against her fingertips, allowing a puff of warm moist air to engulf them. Lips open, he kissed the pads of her fingers. Tifa impulsively stood on tiptoe, replacing fingers with lips. Genesis didn't pull away as Tifa had done, but he remained cautiously still, giving just the gentlest pressure to the kiss. Tifa was drawn into the kiss, lips softening, her body leaning in, her breath coming short far too quickly. She looked down to find her hands grasping the lapels of his coat, and his hands wrapped around her upper arms, holding her steady.

"Perhaps we should continue our walk?" Her voice was weak, wispy.

His smile was perfectly delectable, a cat who has had a taste for cream, and knows that it will not be able to do without.

Tifa took the arm he offered with a sigh that was halfway between relief and anticipation.

They walked, arm in arm, Genesis keeping his long stride to a slow, languid stroll, Tifa leaning slightly into him, fingers unconsciously curling and uncurling into the leather of his sleeve. Tifa became aware of him occasionally glancing down at her, using his hair to hide behind, and decided to put him on the spot.

"You were in my room last night."

He hung his head, a bashful gesture, but it was negated by his smug smile.

"Yes." He offered no explanation, no apology.

"You know that was a bit strange, don't you?"

"I came only to leave the note and it was quite late. I did not want to wake you or the innkeepers.

"You are beautiful when you are sleeping."

Heat rose in her face. Strange it may have been, but it sent an edge of heat through her. She was discovering the unexpected boldness Genesis displayed was something she had been craving.

"The flower was beautiful. Thank you."

"You are most welcome. Come. I would like to show you something."

Tifa let him lead, away from the water and into the woods. He had dropped her arm in favor of holding her hand as he led her, and they moved much faster than they had been. While Tifa would have worried about getting lost, Genesis led with confidence. It wasn't long before Tifa caught sight of a break in the trees. Genesis turned, his face lit with the secret he was about to share.

"Are you ready?"

Tifa nodded, slightly out of breath. What could he possibly want to show her way out here?

Genesis circled around her, putting a hand over her eyes. Warm breath crossed her cheek, her ear.

"Do you trust me, Miss. Lockhart?"

She melted back against him. "Yes," she breathed.

He wrapped his other arm securely around her shoulders and walked her forward, one small step at a time, until they came to a stop.

"Ready?" He asked again. Tifa nodded and he took his hand from her eyes.

It was a small clearing, a tiny field in the middle of the woods, and from one end to the other, in every direction, it was covered with delicate red flowers with blue centers. Tifa stared wide-eyed at the beauty of it. Genesis still had his arm wrapped securely around her when he leaned down to once again whisper in her ear.

"It is my wish, Tifa," he lips brushed the shell of her ear, "to someday make love with you in this place."


	6. Searching for Answers

_I'm blaming it all on Genesis. He's been a very bad boy this week; completely uncooperative. But once he decided to go with the flow, it all smoothed out. It's good when it turns out the worst thing left to do is come up with a chapter title!_

_Question is: What would **you** do? Leave the window open, or lock the crimson SOLDIER out?_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Searching for Answers

Tifa thought about closing and locking the bedroom window.

Emotions were churning inside of her. A raw mixture that she didn't quite recognize entirely, but knew consisted of a good deal of excitement, lust, and fear. Genesis' words as they stood by the edge of the clearing had sent a ripple of electric heat through her that had her reaching back to cling to his coat, drawing him closer, and wanting to run at the same time.

She hadn't run. Her face flushed, her heart fluttered in her chest, then started to race, and her knees let go, leaving his arm around her, along with the weak grip of her hands, the only things holding her up.

He had held her like that, for how long she wasn't sure, nuzzling the long strands of her hair, pressing small, fleeting kisses to her hair, her ear, her cheek.

She had turned into that kiss, offering her lips, fearing he would accept that offer, and fearing that he wouldn't. He hesitated for what felt like an eternity, searching her face, her eyes. What was he searching for? She wasn't sure, and in that pause, she began to think about the consequences of that one simple sensual invitation, but before the doubt could build, his lips met hers. Softly, gently caressing.

It could have been innocent. The tightening in her body said it was anything but. Yet he demanded nothing more, ending the kiss with an entirely pleased smile on his face.

They had walked, then, meandering through the trees, Genesis holding her hand, fingers laced with hers. She was at a complete loss for words, and Genesis didn't push conversation on her. Strangely, it was a comfortable silence.

Tifa's focus was on the warmth of his hand, which seemed to flow into her fingers and up her arm, the strength in the flex of his fingers against hers. His hand was calloused in a familiar way; sword work. She knew he occasionally glanced down at her, but she found she couldn't raise her face to his when he did it, though when she turned to look at him, he met her gaze without hesitation. How could she feel so attracted to him and still be so timid of him?

She hadn't been paying attention to where they were going, and when they came to a stop and Genesis spread his arm out as if presenting something incredible, the view did not fall short. He had led them to a plateau that had a view of the entire valley. From here, she could see the lake; even glimpse the tallest buildings of the little town just over the treetops.

"This is amazing," Tifa commented, and was answered only by a smile. "How do you know about these places?"

Genesis took a moment to take in the view. "It has been necessary for me to spend much time here of late. I always find it necessary to be aware of my surroundings. I have found many places like this in my wanderings."

"How long have you been here?" Finally she had the opening to ask a few questions without it seeming like she was simply being nosey.

"A few months only, but long enough to explore." He paused, reaching out for her hair again. "Long enough to find you."

How could he be so sure of his attraction for her? He didn't even know her yet. Tifa wanted to ask, but now that she was finally getting answers about him, she decided to push her luck.

"Are you staying at the Shinra facility?"

His expression tightened somewhat, some unknown emotion flashing through and darkening his eyes. "Yes, but it is important that no one else know that."

"A secret?"

His head tilted to the side, but his eyes remained locked with hers.

"A secret that I must be able to trust you with."

Raw, angry emotion bristled within Tifa. "It's not a Shinra secret, is it?"

"You don't like Shinra, do you?"

"No. And I won't keep their secrets." She started to walk away, blindly, not caring that she had no idea where she was going. Tears were stinging her eyes as the unexpected, sinking feeling of loss flooded her.

His hand was on her upper arm, and he wheeled her back to him effortlessly, almost brutally. She tried to wrench her arm free, but the strength in his fingers belied their slender appearance. Instincts taking over, she took as defensive a stand as she could within his grip.

"You would fight with me?"

"I would defend myself."

His grip loosened, but his hand remained. "There will never be a need, Tifa. I may be passionate at times, but I would never harm you." He stepped away when he knew that she would not flee.

"There is so much that you do not understand, so much that I know will frighten you; so much that might turn you away from me. I am drawn to you, since the first moment I saw you, and although I have been criticized for my reactions to them in the past, I have learned I must trust my instincts."

Genesis wanted to hold her. He had the overwhelming feeling that if she walked away, he would never be able to breathe right again. He wanted to keep her from running, force understanding, but knew from past experience that would be a mistake.

He kept his distance, allowing her the space she needed if she had to run, allowing her the option to come to him if she chose.

"I give you my word that it is not for Shinra that you keep this secret. The facility here has, indeed, been deserted by Shinra, and I use it as a mere convenience. Please allow me the time, the chance, to explain it to you."

He waited, still as stone except for his hair and coat, which bristled slightly in the slight breeze. Patience was a virtue he had learned at a very high cost.

As Tifa made sense of his words, the defensiveness slowly bled out of her body. She wasn't being fair. She had known there would be secrets, and she wasn't giving him a chance. Her fists unclenched as she stood up straight, her face softening from its serious frown of concentration.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't fair. Of course I want to hear everything you want to tell me."

"I would like to show you as well, but it must wait until tomorrow, if you are able."

Tifa nodded. "Yes. I would like that."

Genesis smiled, questioning, but charming. "You would really have fought with me?"

"If I had to, but no, it's not what I would have chosen."

"And what would you have chosen?"

Tifa shifted her gaze, lost. This was so confusing, so overpowering; what she wanted, what she needed, the compulsion she felt when she was near this man, warring with the overly cautious side of her. The side of her, she reminded herself, that she was trying so hard to find relief from. She finally decided that in either case, maybe the truth worked best. Finally, she set her eyes on the epaulet of his duster, heat settling into her face as she did so.

"I would prefer kissing you to fighting with you."

Genesis' smile faded from his lips, and his words breathed out in a warm rasp of seductive invitation.

"Why don't you?"

He didn't move, didn't extend a hand. He had been forward with her, his feelings pushing past common sense, taking the chance to demand a bit more than she might be willing to give. Now he invited her to do something that he desperately needed; come to him willingly and make her own demands of him.

It was a lot to ask after what she had just discovered. He watched her weigh what she had found out against what she wanted; the first step she took in his direction was like hard-won victory, and he had to bite his tongue to keep his face neutral as he waited to see if she would follow through.

Tifa walked towards him, her mind made up. Each step closer drew her faster, and the only thing that caused any hesitation was his lack of response. But he had invited her, so it must be okay, and by the time she reached him, there was no hesitation as she used one hand on his coat to lower him so she could wrap the other arm around his neck, and pressed her mouth to his, eager, hungry, demanding. He met her with the same, and she nearly cried when her lips parted and his tongue met hers in a long, sweet, deliberate tasting. Genesis tasted wild, exotic; he tasted like passion, like sin.

He tasted like something she wouldn't be able to get enough of.

She was dimly aware of his arms sliding around her, supporting her, and when she, at long last, had to break the kiss before her heart and lungs burst, she realized that one of the legs that would no longer support her had curled around one of his, and the evidence of his passion was unmistakably pressed into her belly.

She hid her face in his coat, but didn't pull away, and he held her, tenderly, relishing her breathlessness, her softness against his sensitive, aching hardness, but mostly her surrender to the moment and the ripple of pleasure that raced through him that she was not now retreating from it.

He had walked her back to the lake.

"I regret that it is time for my departure," he had said upon their return.

Tifa had smiled, even though she felt like pouting. "I will see you tomorrow?"

Genesis looked out into the woods, thoughtful, and then turned his attention back to her, holding her hand to his heart. "I will see you on the morrow, Ms. Lockhart." He smiled enigmatically. "If not sooner, that is. Until then." He had raised her hand to his lips for a lingering kiss before he released it slowly as he backed away, then turned and left by the trail he had used previously.

The trip back to the inn took her twice as long as usual. While she usually walked with purpose, she seemed to be unable to focus her steps now, wandering slowly down the trail from the lake and onto the little road that led into town. Her brain was stuck somewhere between the daze of euphoria and the questions that persisted.

She arrived back at the inn in time for dinner, at which point she became aware that she had completely forgotten lunch. Minna frowned at that, and then very carefully monitored to make sure Tifa had enough for dinner. Tifa left the table stuffed and exhausted.

She now stared at the window. "If not sooner," he had said. Did that mean he would visit in the night as he had the night before? Now that she had distance from him, her insecurity blossomed. How did she feel about that? Him watching her sleep?

Tifa decided to leave the window open.


	7. Night Visitor

_Genesis really is such a bad boy. I'm not entirely sure he's a good influence on Tifa or not. I'm not entirely sure how he can stand not getting any relief! _

_I asked my proof-reader if things were moving too fast within the story, all things considered. He just raised an eyebrow at me. After all, he thought Genesis should have had his way with Tifa back in chapter two. _

_Thanks so much for the reviews! Yummy! Enjoy!_

_fire mystic_

Night Visitor

She thought it would take hours to fall asleep, if she ever got to sleep at all. Tifa settled down in the blankets, curled up with a book, and before she could read the first page, she found the excitement of the day, the warmth of the bath she had treated herself to, and the few words she had read conspiring against her, weighing her eyelids down with every word they took in. Giving up when she realized that she not only couldn't remember the page she had read but wouldn't be able to finish another sentence, she set the book aside, flicked off the light, and nestled into the pillow to let sleep claim her within seconds.

She woke with a gasp and a soft sob as the edge of orgasm slipped away along with the dream she had been having. Turned slightly on her side, her skin tingled, feeling hot and swollen. She rubbed her faced into the pillow and the hand that rested near it, looking to sooth the sensations running across her skin, while the fingers of her right hand, which rested on her lower belly, flexed before beginning a languid slide downward to relieve the tension in the one part of her body where all the sensation seemed to pool and magnify.

A noise, out of place in the silence of the night, brought her out of her post-dream euphoria. She sat up immediately, eyes searching the dark for the source of the sound. It wasn't difficult; moonlight filtering through the windows lit the room brightly enough for everything to be highlighted in the darkness, including the figure sitting in the chair across the room past the foot of the bed.

As if she wasn't already intensely aware of whom it was, the pale light cutting through the night was caught and highlighted within radiant red hair and the mako infused eyes. He was reclining casually, long legs crossed before him, his chin and cheek resting against the long, pale fingers of one hand.

"Genesis." She breathed, wondering if this was still part of a dream and she hadn't really woken.

Was that a ghost of a smile on his lips?

"What, pray tell, were you dreaming about, Ms. Lockhart?"

It all came back in a rush; leaving the window open, the promising suggestion that he might see her before tomorrow, the fact that he had already visited her room as she slept. This was real. She was awake. Genesis had been watching her as she dreamed about…oh!

"N..Nothing." She squeaked out.

He chuckled, warm and deep. "Come now, Tifa. You really are quite vocal when you sleep."

Tifa couldn't help the defensiveness rising within her in response to her embarrassment.

"And you, Genesis, are quite the voyeur; entering my room and watching me sleep."

He wasn't ruffled in the least by her accusation. He gestured idly at the window with his free hand.

"You left it open. Was that not an invitation? A word, my lady, and I will wish you good night."

Tifa looked at the window. Who was she kidding? She had left it open, purposefully in hopes of him doing exactly what he was doing.

"No. I was hoping you would visit."

He let the hand drop. "Will you tell me, then, about your dream?"

She couldn't. The heat rose in her body, closing off her throat, and her thoughts returning to the imagery of her dream threatened to spread that heat throughout her body, and his asking her to share those erotic images threatened to be her undoing.

She shook her head slowly.

"Not ready to narrate? Perhaps something simpler; a question or two?"

Even white teeth bit into her bottom lip as she nodded.

"Were you alone in your dream?"

Another slow shake of her head.

"Ah." As if he knew she was dreaming of him. That smooth, knowing exclamation rolled out of his chest and over her body, as if it were a physical touch.

"Tell me, Tifa, was I touching you?"

Her head rolled back as she nodded. Strangely he managed the perfect balance in this game of his, maintaining control, yet letting her make all the choices. It was wicked of him to ask her to share her fantasies, her dreams, yet she knew that she could refuse him.

She didn't want to. The kiss earlier had been her choice, and the open window had been her choice. She had wanted to jump off the edge. She wanted to be a part of the wickedness Genesis was offering her, which is why, when he said his next words, she accepted his challenge.

"Show me."

As she settled back once again in the pillows, she brushed a hand over her face, partially to cover her embarrassment, partially to relieve the hot texture of her skin. That hand traced down her body, along the tender skin of her throat, down past her breast and down her ribs until it brushed the slightly ticklish skin of her waist where the softness met her hip bone. Curling her hand along that curve, she slid her palm along the soft hollow of her belly, fingers spread wide, so her thumb brushed her bellybutton while her longer fingers brushed along the upper edge of the padded flesh at the base of her belly. That slight brush against over-sensitized skin raised her hips in a search for firmer pressure, the pressure his hand had provided in her dream. That she was performing this illicit act in front of another, that it was his hands she imagined on her skin, and the thought of his eyes on her as she did it, had brought her to fever pitch, a fiery current radiating out through her body. Her other hand joined the first on her belly and they both rolled up her body to brush over tight, hard nipples before flowing down to the soft skin on the inside of her thighs, that current traveling with her fingers even as she sought to sooth it. Back on her lower belly, one hand pressed firmly into the skin there while the other slipped between her legs, the firm pressure finding smooth, swollen, burning flesh. Hips flexing up into her hand, she pressed and slid over that flesh only a few times before her palm was filled with the fluttering throb of her release.

Her eyes drifted open and to the man who had watched her. She was still breathing hard, and couldn't remember if she had cried out as she climaxed. She had exposed nothing, her body still hidden beneath the blankets, but her actions were without question.

Genesis sat exactly as he had been when she had first seen him. What was wrong? Had she done something wrong? Should she not have given in to this indulgent desire? She hadn't given a thought to his reaction to her wanton behavior. Perhaps he had expected her to show more control.

Genesis watched her as the heat faded from her eyes, as reality washed into them. He saw the hesitation, the fear, the first tint of humiliation rise within them. That she wanted him was obvious, but it was also clear that she didn't yet know what to expect in return, what his intentions really were. He stood gracefully and strode to the edge of the bed, reaching down to move the blankets slightly so he could draw her hand from beneath, from where it had just given her such pleasure, and pulled that hand to him, into the depths of his coat to press against the hardness of his arousal as he caught her gaze with his.

"Do you think, Ms. Lockhart, that I do not feel the same? That my dreams are not similar to yours? That you are not the one touching me in my dreams?"

Her eyes went wide at his questions, at the feel of him pressed firmly against the leather beneath her hands, but she didn't pull away. He brought her hand to his lips for a small kiss before releasing it, and then shrugged the duster from his shoulders. He let it fall around him and into his hand as he moved back to drape it over the back of the chair he had occupied. Sitting at the edge of the chair, he removed his boots by touch, keeping his eyes on the wary woman in front of him. She was clearly nervous of his intentions, but was not protesting. Boots aside, he approached the bed, now a vision in black with the exception of his hair and eyes highlighting his pale skin. He knelt with one knee on the bed, arranging Tifa so he could curl up behind her, pulling her body back into his. He felt the slight tension in her, and pressed warm lips to her ear.

"Hush, my love. Let me hold you while you sleep. Let me listen to you breathe. Let me feel your heart beat against me. You have already given me such a precious gift; I will ask nothing more of you this night."

Genesis felt the surrender in her body, the release of tense muscles as he spoke, as she relaxed back into him.

"Genesis?"

"Yes, love."

"Did you…what did you…you don't think I'm…"

He leaned up on an elbow so he could turn her face to his. "I thought you were beautiful." He kissed her, lips whispering over hers. "Now go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

She smiled softly. "One more question, first." She waited for his nod.

"What makes you think I was dreaming of you?"


	8. By Light of Day

_And if you woke in Tifa's place, how would you feel, facing a morning like this? _

_Thank you for all the reviews, feedback, encouragement. They are most welcomed and appreciated. _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

By Light of Day

Tifa drifted slowly from the depths of sleep into warm, luxurious comfort. She had a vague moment of surprise that Genesis hadn't slipped away before dawn, but she blinked her eyes to the warm light of morning bathing the room while still wrapped in his arms. Past the curtain of hair that lay across his face, his eyes were closed and his face soft, and she was sure by the even, deep sound of his breathing that he was sleeping, yet even in sleep he held her securely to him, not merely draping over her. Her head was pillowed on the swell of his upper arm, which was bare against her cheek, and there was hardly an inch of space between her nose and his chest. She marveled at the satiny texture beneath her cheek, and rubbed against it. She felt the muscle in his arm tighten minutely under that smooth skin, a response to her movement, and then relax again. She stilled, not wanting to wake him. His other arm, wrapped securely around her waist, was pressing her smaller frame to his, and their legs had become entangled, not allowing a breath of space between them below her chin. An exhalation of breath and a shifting of muscles that drew her tighter to him told her he was awake, and she tilted her chin to look up at him, meeting sleepy eyes and the slightest hint of a smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Lockhart. Are you comfortable?" There was a suggestive tone in his voice that sharpened Tifa's senses, making her search for whatever nuance she had missed. Except for the initial flex of muscles, he hadn't moved, and Tifa got the distinct impression he was remaining still intentionally. What was he trying to tell her? She raised her eyebrows at him.

"What are you not telling me? I don't underst…"

He moved then. It wasn't much, just the tiniest motion, but it made her immediately aware. Aware of her leg wrapped around his thigh, just above his knee. Aware that the nightshirt she was sleeping in had slipped up around her waist, leaving her leg bare. Aware of the hard muscle of his thigh pressed between her legs. Aware of a different hardness and heat trapped against her belly, throbbing against her.

Their eyes were locked as he gauged her reaction. Her mouth dropped open in a silent "oh" and she could feel the heat suffuse her face, but there was no panicking, no pushing away, no running for cover. He slid his hand from around her waist, down to her hip, fingers loosely gripping, and lifted his thigh gently into her flesh.

Tifa groaned, her eyes sliding shut, her leg curling further to pull him closer. Just that, the firm pressure of his thigh through all the material between them, the tightening of his fingers as he guided her hips in a gentle riding motion, was almost enough. She opened her eyes to find him gazing at her seriously, intent on her pleasure.

"Tell me what you want."

She couldn't get her brain to work, more or less her mouth, and when it all finally came together in words, it was a barely heard whisper.

"I want to feel you against me."

His hand skimmed down the line of her leg to grip her calf just below her knee, slipping her leg higher up on his thigh as he rolled into her, bringing the press of hard flesh to soft, so different from the feeling of his leg, so much more focused, pulsing with life against her. Tifa made an inarticulate sound, and he used his grip on her leg to make an adjustment before repeating the rocking motion, and the pleasure burst from that point of contact and slammed through her body, throwing her head back, wrenching a cry of both pleasure and shock from her.

He stayed with her, letting her ride the pleasure out, waiting for her return to awareness. When he knew she could see him again through the haze of desire that was in her eyes, he brushed the hair gently from her face.

"You are so sensitive. So beautiful." He kissed her then, a long, slow, deep kiss, as if he were trying to taste her pleasure, then released her slowly, moving as if to get up.

Tifa was bewildered. "But…Genesis…you didn't…"

He turned back to her, cupping her face in his palm, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"No. It is not time for that. After today. If you still want me, that is."

Again, that ominous warning that she would learn something about him today that would change or take away this incredible experience.

Tifa sat up in the middle of the bed, kneeling among the crumpled blankets.

"Genesis…"

"I must go, Tifa. It would be unwise for me to be found here under these conditions. I will leave you to get ready, and I must also prepare for today. Give me two hours. I will return for you."

Not "I will meet you". He was coming back to the inn for her. Except for the pending unknown events of the day, it almost felt like a real date.

Tifa showered and dressed, trying to take her time, though she felt an overwhelming urge to rush. Once downstairs, she forced herself to eat a bit of breakfast even though her stomach kept fluttering with both the remaining rush of the night before and the nervous anticipation of what she would learn.

Her fidgeting didn't go unnoticed. After Asa left the kitchen, Minna sat down across from Tifa with a cup of coffee and a concerned expression.

"Are you okay, Tifa?"

Tifa placed her napkin on the table, shifting. It was impossible to sit still. She had to confide in Minna. After all, it would be rather strange for a man to suddenly appear at the door asking for her without some type of warning.

"I've met someone."

The smile that lit the older woman's face reached her eyes and made them sparkle. She put her coffee cup down and clapped her hands together like a happy child.

"I knew it!"

Tifa was at a loss. "How could you know?"

"Oh, Sweetie, it's been written on your face for days. I know the look of young passion when I see it. So, who is this young man?"

Tifa didn't know how to answer. Minna would know most of the men from the area. How would she explain Genesis' presence when she knew he was being discreet? She decided to leave the explaining to him.

"Well, you're going to meet him shortly. He's coming to get me in just a…" she checked the clock, eyes widening, "…few minutes." And as if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

In the light of day, Genesis looked all the more startling in black. The red duster and gloves were nowhere to be seen, and Tifa could now see clearly the black leather trousers, and the black sleeveless turtleneck. He was a vision, certainly, all that pale skin startlingly outlined in black and red, but there was something vulnerable about him standing there without the coat, as if he had taken off a piece of his armour. Noting the way he held himself, however, the straight, arrogant posture, the solid, sculpted muscles in his arms, Tifa didn't believe for a heartbeat that anyone else would see him for anything but dangerous.

He smiled charmingly when Minna opened the door. Tifa, standing slightly behind her, heard the woman's sharply indrawn breath. Minna turned back to Tifa, her cheeks bright pink in color, her eyes wide, and clasped a hand to her throat before turning back to Genesis. He held a hand out to her, and when she placed her hand in his, he held it lightly.

"Genesis." He said as way of introduction.

"Minna." Her voice was breathy, and she was clearly flustered.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He brought her hand up between them and bowed slightly, and Tifa couldn't help but smile as the woman burst into breathless giggles. Genesis winked at her over Minna's head, releasing the woman's hand, and reached past her to take Tifa's.

"You will not mind if we spend the day out together, will you, Minna?"

Tifa's heart did a funny flip within her chest. It was as if he were asking permission. He knew Tifa had no real connection to this woman, yet he made the courteous gesture as if she were family, and she knew by Minna's reaction how important that gesture made her feel.

"Of course not, sir. Should I be expecting her for dinner, this evening?"

Genesis took Tifa's hand in his. "I think not. Tifa will be my guest this evening. In fact, she will most likely be very late."

"Of course, of course," Minna babbled, turning knowing eyes on Tifa. This exotic man's presence was making her feel like a schoolgirl again. "The door is always open. I won't wait up."

Tifa gave her a quick, strong hug before turning to face the truths that this day would hold. She climbed on the back of the bike, pulling herself as close as possible, enjoying the play of his body against hers, and wrapped her arms around him, one around his lean waist, the other crossing up so her hand rested over his heart. He turned his head, silently asking if she was ready, and she nodded once before resting her check against the long line of his back.

He didn't go in the direction she had thought he would. He took them in the opposite direction from the lake, completely avoiding town, and wound his way up an old road through the woods, one that looked as if it hadn't been used in years. Tifa was pretty good with directions, and although being this close to him was distracting, she paid enough attention to know that they had circled around to what would be the further side of the hills that the lake was hidden by. They wound up into the hills, the road still clear, but unused, and just as the landscaping became rockier they encountered a gate that barred the road completely. Draped across the gate were a series of signs, "do not enter", "private property", "Property of Shinra Electric Power Company"; they were hanging at odd angles, rusted, some of them pocked with what had to be bullet holes.

Genesis didn't bother with the gate, circling around through the woods, where there was a small breach in the fence that surrounded the facility. A half mile later, they were sitting in front of a low building structure set against a hillside which, if Tifa knew anything about Shinra, must have been the cover for something far larger within. Genesis left the bike sitting outside, apparently not worried that anyone would discover it, and guided Tifa into the building, for which he had a set of keys. He led her through what was obviously a small reception area to a set of double doors, and swung them open to a vast hallway, that Tifa could see opened into a much larger space further on, proving her original instinct of the place correct. He led her down the dimly lit corridor, slightly brighter lights coming on as they walked, and when they reached the end, the space beyond slowly lit as well, outlining a melee of machinery scattered here and there, much of it the likes of which Tifa couldn't begin to identify, and two monstrous tanks toward the back, outlining another set of doors. Genesis gestured her into the room.

"Welcome to Shinra's past."


	9. Revelations

_I feel like this should come with a disclaimer (besides the usual "I don't own ffvii"): I may have taken a few liberties (okay, I know I did) with Genesis' past in a couple of different ways, and I may have vaguely mixed up and re-focused some of the events of his past. This has to do with the complexity of his character and how I have perceived him at different points in time, both before this story and during. I did, however try to maintain his character and story and keep it as close to canon as I could. If I am wrong about this, I'm sure someone will set me straight! I thought I did a fair job of his portrayal within the context of this story, and no, I was not trying to water down his past to make him look better! _

_That said, thank you for reading, and reviews are almost as good as chocolate!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Revelations

Tifa wandered through the cavernous space, not sure what Genesis wanted her to see here, but he seemed content to watch her examine her surroundings with curiosity. Much of the machinery had obviously been dismantled; some of it in a less than careful way, suggesting it may have been destroyed with purpose. She wandered through the room, Genesis a silent shadow somewhere behind her, to stand in front of one of the giant tanks. Of all the things in the room, the tanks seemed to be the only things that were still intact.

"Containment cells," Genesis spoke softly.

"For mako." Tifa responded. "I'm familiar with them."

Genesis wanted to ask how, but let it go. This day was about his past, not hers.

"I would like to tell you that it all starts with mako, which perhaps it does, but in the long run, mako was just a tool used for the evil perpetuated by Shinra. Come." He led her past the cells, through the doors and into the maze of the structure. They passed doors, and if it hadn't been for that first large room, Tifa would have thought they were in the skeleton of a large office building.

Then they descended a set of steel stairs, and Tifa knew that this facility hid much more than simple offices.

There was still a fair share of those, but also larger rooms that looked like laboratories, and still larger ones that held more cells, these much smaller than the two upstairs. Some rooms had them lining the walls, some with them lined up in neatly spaced rows. They walked in silence for quite a while, Tifa careful to take in every detail that she could; she wasn't sure yet what Genesis was trying to tell her, but she knew that her witnessing this place was important to him. Finally they came to a laboratory deep within the structure that was set up with what Tifa assumed to be medical equipment, and containment cells lining the walls. Genesis leaned against the wall next to the door as Tifa walked around the room.

"This was supposed to be a small research facility, small labs, mostly paperwork. As you can see, it's a bit more than it appears to be in Shinra's accounting.

"I came here searching for answers. Shinra always has secrets, and just when you think you've found them all out, another comes skulking out of the shadows."

His voice held fatigue, and when she turned, Tifa found his face reflected it as well. He also looked old, not in his face, but in his eyes, as if he knew too much, had seen too much, had done too much. Tifa wasn't sure she wanted to know what was behind his expression, but somehow she knew she had to know, that accepting this man, knowing him, would mean knowing about his past, finding out whatever he was trying to tell her.

He caught her looking at him and shook his head, frowning.

"Don't feel bad for me, Tifa. Or sorry. Not until you've learned about my past."

He walked over to one of the small mako tanks, waiting for her to join him, and then gestured to the small window. Tifa peered in, not seeing anything in the murky depths for a moment, but then making out a small, deformed shape.

"What is it?"

"Shinra's failure."

Tifa looked again, trying to make out the shape, and the image suddenly clicked into place, and she pulled back gasping.

"It was human, wasn't it?"

Genesis didn't answer her. He watched her as she went to each of the other tanks, peering in, confirming her suspicions.

Finally, she had seen them all, making a full circle of the room. There were tears in her eyes as she came to stand in front of him. Genesis wiped away the single tear that ran down her cheek.

"It is a tragic loss of life, I know, but it is probably better that they remain as they are and were not made subject to further experimentation."

"Remained as they are? But aren't they dead?"

"No. They are being preserved by the mako."

"I don't understand. Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I want you to know where I came from, what I am."

Confusion filled her eyes, but he knew when she had caught on.

"I'm SOLDIER, Tifa." He rested a hand on the tank. "This is very similar to how SOLDIER began." He reached a hand to her. "Come. You need to get out of this room." He led her out and through a further maze of corridors. There were laboratories here and there, and she couldn't help but notice more tanks in them. Gradually, the laboratories ended, and they went up a flight of stairs. There was a change in the atmosphere, even in the empty building, and when Genesis opened a door at the end of a corridor, Tifa found the living quarters beyond spacious and bright. He led her to a small sitting area, leaving her in a comfortable chair, and left the room briefly, returning with a glass of water, which he pressed into her hand. She took a small sip and handed the glass back, her hands shaking.

"I shouldn't be surprised," she said softly. "I knew this about Shinra, knew that they were experimenting on people." Her mind flashed over images of Vincent and Cloud. "I just didn't realize the extent."

"No one does. I'm not sure that even President Shinra knew. I have found many facilities like this, many hidden labs, and I am more than sure that Hojo was not up front about all the experiments he was doing."

He paused, letting the silence sit for a moment before he asked the question that he had previously pondered: "What group were you with?"

Tifa blinked up at him, caught off guard. "Group?"

"Resistance, Tifa. You were aware of the experiments, and you despise Shinra, and I'm fairly certain you would have been able to back up your threat to defend yourself. Logic leads me to think you might have been with some type of resistance."

Tifa nodded. "AVALANCHE."

"Ah. And you would have defended yourself with…?"

"Martial Arts." She scanned his lean body. "What about you?"

She followed the direction of his arm, which he waved off to a far corner of the room, where a red sword hung from the wall.

"Of course." She muttered as she rose to take a closer look at the weapon. "All the SOLDIER'S I've ever known or heard of primarily used swords."

He followed her across the room, watching as she reached out and let her fingers hover over the blade.

"How many SOLDIER'S have you known?"

Her trance was broken. "Known? Not many. In fact, just Cloud. But I did meet Zack. And there was Sephiroth, of course." She saw something darken his eyes as they pinched a bit around the edges. "You knew him, didn't you?"

His gaze went distant, as if he was looking into the past, and he nodded slowly. "Yes. I knew Sephiroth."

Tifa observed him as his attention drifted away from the present. Emotions flickered across his eyes, but nothing she had seen in him before this. He turned away from her, but not before she caught what she was pretty sure was hurt; whatever the past had held, he was pained by the thought of it.

She laid a hand on the swell of his upper arm and he flinched away from her.

"No pity, Tifa."

Firmer this time, she replaced her hand, fingers gripping slightly.

"Not pity, Genesis. Comfort."

His head turned toward her, hair falling; still hiding. How could she know that what she offered was something no one else had ever offered him, a gesture he had never experienced? It was overwhelming and he didn't know how to respond.

"I am undeserving."

"Tell me the rest of your story, Genesis."

Sighing, he led her to another room with windows high on the walls letting in midday light. He sat on the couch, and Tifa sat next to him, taking his hand in hers, and he talked.

He wasn't sure what the laboratory here was for, if it was early SOLDIER research or a continuation or branch of the original research, or to what extent it had all been taken. He had found it in his search through many similar facilities in an attempt to root out not only the secrets to his own past, but also to find the true extent of the experiments being done. He had no doubt Hojo had been involved in it; although there was no record within Shinra that he had ever been to this facility, Genesis found proof within the labs that, indeed, Hojo had been here.

He talked about his childhood, about Angeal and Sephiroth, how he grew up with them, about his friendship with them, and then how it all turned sour, spurred by his own spiteful anger and pride; how his jealousy of Sephiroth had led to a fateful conflict in which Genesis discovered the flaw within himself through an injury that wouldn't heal. How he had then waged war on Shinra in hopes of finding a way to stop the deterioration that was taking his youth, stripping him of his dreams, while at the same time tearing SOLDIER apart from the inside. How he killed the people who had acted the part of his parents for so many years, keeping his origins from him, deceiving him into thinking he was something he was not.

He talked about his obsession with 'Loveless', his fascination with the metaphors contained within; he hadn't been able to understand why those around him found his obsession so humorous, why they couldn't see how the play paralleled the real tragedy that was spinning out around them, and how 'loveless' had at least given him a reason to search for a deeper meaning in things, a higher purpose.

He explained how he had been the one, in the seething heat of his jealousy and anger that had led Sephiroth to Nibelheim, to the truth of his 'mother', Jenova. He had been trying to get Sephiroth to understand and join his cause, as twisted as it had been, but what bittersweet victory it had been to prove to Sephiroth that he wasn't simply better than everyone else. Oh no, he was the perfect monster, the ultimate culmination of Hojo's whacked experiments.

Genesis had never imagined that Sephiroth would come completely unwound, that he would indeed prove to the world how successful Hojo had really been. By that time, all he had been hoping for was that Sephiroth would help him stop the deterioration, as well as the madness that had created them both.

He wondered if Hojo was somewhere basking in pride at his success.

Genesis laid his life bare, sparing no detail, hiding nothing. Jealousy, anger, rage, pride, vindictiveness, spitefulness, revenge; he spread it out in its entirety over the course of the afternoon, painting a portrait that was harsh in its honesty and completely unforgiving.

The room had darkened by the time his last words faded, the sun having fallen below the horizon. A profound silence ensued. He reluctantly let go of the hand he had been holding, a hand that Tifa had let him hold the entire time he spoke, no matter the subject, and left the room for a brief moment, returning with a candle that he placed in the center of the table that sat in front of the couch.

Genesis didn't interrupt that silence. He returned to his seat, but let some distance remain between them as he watched Tifa stare into the flickering flame of the candle. Her face was a mask of quiet shock and disbelief, and the energy she was using to process the story he had told was a tangible presence. He let the minutes slide by, desperate for any reaction, good or bad, stifling the voice within that wanted him to demand that reaction, forcing himself to give her as much time as she needed to sift through the fragments of his disillusioned past, knowing that it could take days, yet fully expecting Tifa to rise at any second and flee the room, this facility, and her acquaintance with him.

His breath hitched and held when she finally turned her attention back to him, but her words were the last he expected to hear.

"You promised me dinner."

His mouth fell open and he had to force the word out that had lodged in his throat.

"Yes."

"Would you mind having dinner now?"

"If it is your wish, then I will make the preparations." He stood quickly, too quickly, relieved to be doing something besides waiting, relieved that Tifa hadn't bolted.

"Genesis." He turned back from the door, expecting the worst.

"I'm going to need something a whole lot stronger than water to drink with that meal."


	10. Contemplation

_Left with the information imparted on by our Crimson SOLDIER, what decision would you make at this point if you were Tifa?_

_I thought the actions in this chapter unfolded very naturally. I hope it reads as such. On a humorous note (along with a tiny glimpse into my mind), my PR complained that there wasn't any sex. I explained that Tifa wouldn't just jump into bed with Genesis after her discovery of his past without a bit of thought. The response was "this is fanfiction! Of course she would!" Not in my mind, though. Harumph! Don't we all love the story that's wrapped around the erotic?_

_For the reading and reviews, thank you!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Contemplation

Dinner was a quiet affair, from the first sip of the drink she had requested to Genesis ushering her out of the small dining area, refusing her assistance to clean up. She had no idea what the grilled meat was that he served, but it tasted as delicious as it looked and smelled, and what little conversation there was consisted mostly of her surprise at his cooking skills and his pleased reaction, both at her surprise and her pleasure.

To Tifas surprise, the predominant lack of conversation during dinner wasn't uncomfortable. She was pleasantly surprised by the delicious meal, and was grateful for the reprieve from the seriousness of the day. She took the time to think over many things Genesis had spoken of earlier, and Genesis seemed comfortable and content to leave her mostly to her thoughts.

"I want see it all again. I want you to take me through the facility again." Tifa made the request of Genesis quietly. He raised a skeptical eyebrow, but led her back out through the building, shadowing her as he had earlier that day. It was slower this time.

Tifa opened doors she hadn't opened before, turned on lights here and there, and inspected various rooms, all without saying a word. Genesis worried about her apparent lack of reaction, but let her take her time. Finally, she stood over another of those tanks, staring down into the murky depths at what had, at one time, been a human being.

"Niebelheim was my home. I grew up there. My family was there. Sephiroth destroyed it all."

It was an attempt to show him how profoundly the events he had spoken of effected her; she hadn't meant to accuse. Yet she saw the pain flash across his features, a physical manifestation of the emotional blow she had unwittingly dealt him.

"I need to go back to the inn, Genesis. I need to sleep on this. I need…time."

Mouth set firmly, he nodded once.

"Of course you do."

Back at the inn, he walked her to the door, where she slipped out of his duster, which he had wrapped around her before she got on the bike. She handed it to him, watching him swirl it around and shrug into it. He reached out to lay the palm of his hand against her cheek, long fingers gently stroking into the hair surrounding her face.

"Sleep well, Tifa. You know where to find me." Pulling away, he seemed to think better of it and leaned in to place a soft, chaste kiss against her lips.

He turned, walking away, not looking back.

As he drove away, Genesis was thinking that may very well be the last kiss they shared.

Tifa was thinking about the way it had felt wrapped in his coat, too large for her small frame, but warm and comforting; she had huddled down in that warmth, surrounded by the scent of a man who, despite what she knew about him now, still made her feel exceptional.

She knew he wouldn't visit that night. She knew she wouldn't see him again until she chose to. She curled up in bed that night, her mind full of images from a very long day, the very dark past of this enigmatic man she had met, and the memories of her own past. Her mind was full, but there was an emptiness within her; a hollow feeling left by his absence.

She slept fitfully that night. Awakening frequently, it seemed to take forever to get back to sleep, and when sleep finally came, so did the distorted and endlessly shifting dreams and nightmares. Niebelheim, the reactor looming theatrically over the little town, a monster set to crush the life out of her childhood. Sephiroth, a powerful swirl of black and silver spinning through and sweeping life away with him. Her father, sitting at the kitchen table, laughing and eating breakfast, and then a sudden shift to the image of him lying dead on the ground. Her, standing in one of those laboratories, surrounded by all those tanks filled with experiments from the past.

She woke suddenly, half expecting to look around and find herself in the laboratory from her dream. She settled as she took in the room, dark and quiet, the curtains moving gently with a bit of breeze. She checked the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. Five o'clock. It wasn't worth going back to sleep.

She took her time getting showered and dressed, and then sat in the chair that had last been occupied by Genesis and let her mind wander through and re-sift the details of his past. She had no doubt he had told her the truth. What would have been the point of making up a story where he clearly painted himself as a villain? He certainly hadn't been intending to build himself up in her eyes, and he was emphatic that she not feel sorry for him. Her thoughts twisted and turned around his words until, out of her confusion, she came to only one clear conclusion.

Whoever he had been in the past, whatever he had done, the Genesis she had met this week was no longer that person.

But what had happened?

It was the first time it had occurred to her, and now she wanted to know what had caused such a change in him.

The sun was well up when she finally made her way out of her room wandering through the house to the kitchen, where she put on a kettle for tea and helped herself to one of the cinnamon coffee cakes Minna had left on the table from breakfast. She hadn't been sitting at the table more than a minute when Minna appeared in the doorway. Tifa couldn't miss her hesitation, and knew that the older woman's instincts couldn't miss Tifa's strange mood. She gave her a warm smile to let her know that her presence was welcome, and Minna took the chair opposite her at the table.

"Things didn't go as well as you hoped, did they?"

"It's not that," Tifa replied with a small sigh, thought crinkling her brow. She was grateful to have the woman to talk to. Maybe someone outside the situation could help her get some perspective.

"Minna, how would you feel if you met a man that you thought was wonderful and who made you feel special, and then found out about a…dark secret from his past?"

Minna studied Tifa's face for quite a few minutes. "I take it there is more to this than the fact that he was with SOLDIER."

"You knew?" Tifa couldn't hide her surprise.

"Goodness, Sweetheart. We may live in a small town in the outskirts of nowhere, but we're not totally ignorant! For Gaia's sake, you don't see men like him every day! The eyes alone would give it away."

Tifa couldn't help the blush of embarrassment. "I didn't think, Minna. I didn't know you realized…"

"Oh yes. From the moment I saw him. The uniform is unmistakable as well."

"And you didn't think that was terrible? That he was with SOLDIER?"

"Terrible? Why? I was too busy being happy for you." She held up a finger in a waiting gesture as she stood to get her own cup of tea. Sitting back down with it, she took a small sip from her mug. "You weren't happy when you came here, Tifa. It was like there was a storm cloud hanging over you, one that had rained on you one too many times, but refused to go away. When you came back that day, after you met this young man, it was like the sun was finally peeking around those clouds, like you finally had your silver lining.

"I don't know anything about this man you have met except that he made you feel like that, but I do know that when someone makes you feel that way, it shouldn't be refused without careful consideration."

Tifa noted that Minna's face had set into a serious frown as she spoke.

"You're speaking from experience, aren't you?"

Minna waved a dismissing hand in the air.

"Not my own, but I have lived a long time and seen many things."

"And you think that what I feel should outweigh what I know about his past?"

Minna took another sip of tea, turning to look briefly out the window. "It is not what I think that matters. It is what you think, and what your heart tells you that matters. What does your heart say?"

Tifa studied the grain of the wood that made up the tables surface.

"It says that the man I've met is not the same person he was before. Does that make any sense? Listening to him talk about his past was like listening to him talk about a previous life he was remembering."

"Did he mention what might have caused such a change?"

"No," she replied, still trying to puzzle out why it seemed he wanted to show her only the worst of him, making no excuses, giving no explanations. "I didn't think to ask."

"Perhaps finding the answer to that would help in your decision."

Tifa was lost in thought, staring at a distant spot somewhere over Minna's left shoulder, but she managed to nod once in acknowledgement.

Minna waited, watching the emotions flickering across Tifa's face; thoughtfulness, sadness, grief, confusion, compassion. But she left Tifa to her emotions; let her feel them, sort through them. Minna knew that Tifa needed to do this, so she simply watched and waited.

Tifa couldn't do this. It had always been so easy for her to trust her emotions, her instincts, but thinking back, it had always been when she was helping someone else. Until now, her big insights had always been for someone else's benefit, not her own, and now that it was about her, her instincts were betraying her.

Finally, her eyes still unfocused in thought, Tifa tried to clarify.

"I just…I don't want you to tell me what to do. I was just hoping you could give me some perspective."

Minna understood that. She would be looking for the same thing if she were in Tifa's position.

"Perspective. Let me see. Perhaps you should ask yourself a few questions while you consider this."

That got Tifa's attention, her eyes once more on Minna.

"Like what?"

Tifa listened carefully, reflecting on each question Minna came up with, simple questions that wrapped around the information she already had churning in her mind. Did Genesis ever do anything to hurt her intentionally? Could she put herself in Genesis' shoes? Understand where he came from, what he was, and why he did what he did? Could she judge him based on his past, a past that clearly haunted him? Did she have a right to?

What did her instincts tell her? What were her reactions when he was listening to him tell his story?

How did he make her feel?

Was that feeling worth understanding and accepting him?

"I don't envy you, Tifa." They had both been sitting quietly for quite a while. "I would be as confused as you, I think. But I must say; it must have taken a great deal of courage for this man to expose himself like this to you, to ask you to accept him despite his flaws. Whatever your decision, he deserves credit for at least that."

She left Tifa sitting there, deep in her thoughts, worried that she might have made it worse instead of better, hoping that the young girl could find the strength within herself, the strength that Minna knew was there, to let her heart lead her to making the decision that would bring her the happiness she was searching for.


	11. From the Heart

_Delayed, yes. I'm blaming Reno. He took Genesis and Tifa hostage and refused to release them until I met his demands and wrote his story. Can you imagine? Damn Turk!_

_Seriously, this was a difficult but necessary chapter. It was going to be entirely different, but then I started thinking it would be interesting to see things from Genesis' point of view for a moment. I may have taken some liberties with my perception of Cloud in this one, but I don't think it's too far off target, and I'm going with the idea that Tifa has learned a lot from being close to him. Also, Tifa is a bit emotional in this chapter (not in a weak way), but who can blame her. _

_Thanks much for reading, and for all the reviews and encouragement. It is very appreciated._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

From the Heart

The first tendrils of sunlight cut through the gray of early morning, bringing depth to the colors of the world and flashing brightly off the surface of the water.

Genesis stood at the waters edge, watching the world spring to life, amazed that the colors were so enhanced by the mako in his system.

He had forgotten about this. After years of being subjected to the mako, the novelty of many of its enhancements had worn off. He had become too familiar with them, and had simply ceased to wonder at them.

That had changed after his trip through the lifestream. After his encounter with the Goddess.

Having been returned to this world, his vitality restored as so much else had been, Genesis couldn't help but look upon the world with new eyes. His senses had been reawakened, and he often found himself marveling at the world around him, and unlike during his previous existence, it hadn't faded with time.

Now, it seemed, the one thing that shined the brightest in that world, the one person he wanted for his own, was the one person who he might never be able to have.

He had been honest. He had tried to distance himself as much as possible when he told his story to Tifa, presenting it in as an unbiased fashion as he was capable. The emotions he had seen in her eyes tore at him, at a heart he had long thought dead to anything besides the negative emotions that had nearly destroyed him. But he had not reacted to Tifa, couldn't afford to react to her, couldn't allow himself the luxury of trying to explain away his actions or alleviate the horror of them. He certainly couldn't offer her any comfort; who was he to offer comfort for any pain he caused? And to think that she had offered him comfort.

Niebelheim.

He hung his head in thought. There was no way he could have known what Sephiroth's reaction was going to be or that it would have such a profound impact on the woman he had now fallen in love with. But he should have thought, should have considered the possibilities. Now it was another regret from his past, another of his rash actions in an attempt to achieve what he wanted. How foolish he had been. How misguided.

In love.

It was an emotion he thought never to call his own. He had loved, yes, but that was before, so long ago, the innocent love of childhood, of family and friends, but that love had twisted into something else entirely as he traded it in for his misguided beliefs.

What he felt for Tifa had nothing to do with that kind of love. Yes, it was in part, a soft, tender love that was warm and comfortable. But there was so much more. There was lust, certainly, so much so that he couldn't breathe at times. There was passion, a need not only to satisfy his needs, but to see this woman in the flush of ecstasy, repeatedly. And she had a passion for life, which he had witnessed in her wonder and sense of adventure and daring. Each of those moments had drawn him deeper into his feelings for her. He wanted to see her eyes light up, or her brow crinkle in concern and thought. He wanted to hold her against him and listen to her breathe as she slept. The morning he had woken with her in his arms felt so incredibly right, a feeling of belonging he had never experienced.

It amazed and humbled him that he had missed this in his previous existence.

The Goddess had graced him with the knowledge of the error of his ways. Now he was nearly overwhelmed with the fear that the knowledge may have come too late.

If, hopefully when, Tifa returned to him, she would know this would be where he waited, and therefore Genesis refused to leave this place. He refused to relent to the feeling that he might have lost Tifa before he had truly found her.

And so he remained. Regretting his past, silently hoping for Tifa to be more understanding and forgiving than he had a right to ask for, and sending out a plea to the Goddess that if this was to be part of his destiny, to make it so. He remained at the waters edge until the last rays of light had faded from the water, and then long after the sun had faded from the sky and the water reflected the pinpricks of light from a much more distant source.

* * *

Tifa gazed out at the night sky, searching for further enlightenment in the tiny lights that glittered so far away. She had spent the day wandering the farm surrounding the inn, trying to bring the past few days into focus. Genesis' words. Minna's advice. Debating. It would be so easy to walk away from this. Genesis had certainly given her enough reason to walk away. It would be nothing at all to leave this place, go home, and forget this man.

Except it wouldn't be that easy; it would be something.

She had spent the afternoon trying to be angry at Genesis, trying to hate him for the actions he had taken that had led to Sephiroth's rage being unleashed.

She couldn't do it. She had no anger towards him, no hatred. It had taken her a good deal of time to figure out what the intense emotion was that she did feel, but she had finally done it. It was sadness, deep and profound; a sadness that wrenched at her heart and brought tears to her eyes. She was surprised to find those tears were not just for her own losses, but for Genesis as well. In light of her own pain, her heart still felt for him, sympathized with him; how devastating was it to stand before the Goddess in a moment of revelation, only to find out you had utterly failed, that you had misinterpreted your purpose, and that it was unacceptable to She who you worshipped?

Tifa couldn't fathom it, didn't know what it would take to survive something like that, to deal with the humility, the guilt, and then return, second chance granted, yes, but with the knowledge of his wrongdoing to forever weigh on his mind.

No, she would never forget Genesis. And there was a tiny voice in her mind that kept warning her that walking away would break her heart.

Accepting him, though, would not be nearly as easy. There were other considerations besides her feelings. She couldn't stay here forever. In fact, her vacation time was quickly fading. She was going to have to return home soon, and she didn't think that walking into Seventh Heaven with Genesis on her arm would go over all that well. In the eyes of her friends, having a relationship with someone like Genesis would be right up there with having a relationship with Sephiroth. The thought almost made her laugh. Almost. She would not be able to tell anyone, not for a long time, anyway. It would have to be clandestine, at best, a relationship chiseled out of the few moments in her life that were not occupied by children and work. She was wondering how that could ever possibly work when the word 'relationship' flashed across her mind as if in neon. Where had that come from? The word had certainly never come up between them, but that was how she thought of it. Not an affair. A relationship.

With the recognition of that word, Tifa knew that her emotions were far more entangled than she had thought.

Strangely, staring up into the heavens, the slightly chilled, damp air brushing over her skin, it was Cloud her thoughts had finally settled on. Cloud, who mourned soulfully for those he had lost. Cloud, whose life was for so long hampered by that loss. Cloud, who at one point couldn't face the difficult decisions in the present because of the ghosts that haunted him from his past.

She loved him dearly, would be friends with him till the end. But she didn't want to be like him, locked within herself, forever wondering what could have been, what she could have changed.

She had told Cloud once that he had to face reality, that he had to deal with it, even if there was a chance it wouldn't be pleasant, wouldn't turn out the way he wanted.

Tifa didn't want to not take the chance because of her fear of the consequences.

Her eyes glittered as the starlight reflected in them, and she finally let her heart guide her decision, whispering it into the midnight blue of the sky.


	12. One Small Request

_I know. I'm a tease. I can't help it, though, and in my defense, this imagery (of what Tifa is requesting of Genesis) has been running through my head since the beginning of the story. It's something I knew she would want to know about. Wouldn't you? Honest, I didn't want to end the chapter where I did, but my PR told me that it was the perfect spot. I'm blaming it all on him!_

_Thank you for reading and reviewing. Your feedback is so welcome and encouraging. _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

One Small Request

He was magnificent.

Tifa observed him from the edge of the trail that led down to the water, standing for long moments, allowing herself to enjoy thoroughly the thrill he stirred within her every time she saw him, even thought of him. It was more intense this morning, the excess shivering through her, a smile playing at her lips at the freedom and exhilaration at having made this decision.

This was the first time, since she had first seen him, that she had the opportunity to observe him, and, as on that first day, if he knew she was watching, he gave no indication.

The early mid-morning light fell on damp skin as he retrieved his duster from a nearby rock. With a graceful swirl of lithe muscle, he brought it to rest across broad shoulders, shrugging into its warmth and comfort. It was then she realized that his hair was wet, as he raised his hands to run his fingers through the dripping red strands, squeezing out the excess moisture and then shaking them to fall back into place. He stood at the waters edge as she approached, adjusting straps and buckles on his clothing, and Tifa wavered, self conscious at having caught him in what seemed like a private ritual. He was standing straight and still by the time she reached him, and it struck her how their positions were reversed from that first time they had met. She had approached as silently as her skills allowed, but she had no doubt that he was now aware of her.

"There is one request I would like to make of you, Genesis." She spoke softly, and he acknowledged her with a slight turn and tilt of his head. She had thought about this on the way here, almost as an afterthought, but then realized it was somehow very important to her. "The experiments in the lab; you said they are how SOLDIER began. But, obviously not all of SOLDIER turned out that way. But there were certain…physical side effects, weren't there?"

Genesis nodded, just once.

She hadn't been sure how to ask this. She knew about Sephiroth, had seen for herself, and since the question had popped into her mind, she hadn't been able to get rid of it.

"Were you affected?"

Again, he nodded. Her voice dropped to a tentative whisper.

"Would you let me see?"

He remained turned away from her, his attention now focused out, at the lake, the horizon, the trees, she wasn't sure where, but he wasn't looking at her, and she had no way to gauge his reaction to her request.

Therefore, she didn't see the pain that flashed across his expression, the slim flash of hope that had lit within him when he became aware of her arrival, fading away; the certainty that although she might have accepted him, as unlikely as it was, this demonstration would certainly turn her away. He wished he could tell her no. He wished he could deny her this request.

He could not. He would not.

He brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose, using the gesture to focus his energy at the center of his body, and casting it out to his left, let the wing extend as his arm did, and steeled himself for the reaction to come.

He heard her gasp. He had expected that. Then there was a moment of complete silence. Shock. He had expected that, as well.

A hand came to rest against the expanse just above his shoulder, brushing down over the feathers in a long, tentative sweep.

That he hadn't expected at all, and the sensual delight that razed through him was formerly unknown; Hojo had been the only one who had touched the wing, and his touch had certainly not brought this sensation. As if that surprise were not enough, he could hear the reverence in Tifa's voice when she spoke.

"It's beautiful."

He spun around. He had to see her face, see her eyes, make sure what he heard in her voice reflected her feelings, and was not simply something he wanted to hear. Her hand reached again, caressing along the fine inner lines of the appendage. She blinked in wonder at him, and then met his eyes.

"You're beautiful."

Giving one last stroke to the long, sleek feathers, Tifa brought her hand to rest against his chest, watching her fingers toy with the leather straps that crossed there.

"I suspect this will not be the average relationship."

His lips quirked, the slight motion calling her attention to his face.

"Of the many terms people have used to describe me, Tifa, average has never been one of them, and it is not remotely a word I would consider when thinking of you."

He was unconsciously leaning into her as he spoke, until their faces were inches apart, his heart thudding heavily in his chest.

"You have made a decision."

Tifa closed the distance, her lips grazing his as she spoke.

"I still have questions."

"I will deny you nothing," he answered solemnly, breathing the words into her mouth through softly parted lips, and then met those lips with a heated desperation that was returned in full measure.

The wing extending above them curled and melted into a shower of black feathers that tantalized skin that was already overheated. Tifa broke the kiss to stare up at them, feel them brush against her face in their descent. Yes, this man was a sinful decadence that she could not quite fathom. Did he know, she wondered, that every slight movement from him, every action, was a sensual invitation? Was he aware of how sexy he was?

Strong hands came to rest against the bare skin of her waist, fingers pressing, a searing contact that caused muscles to quiver in response. Hardly a touch and her body was on overload. Fear lashed through her, wicked and dark; fear that he would be too much for her, that she wouldn't be able to handle the pleasure she felt at this man's hands, fear that she was going to simply melt beneath those hands before she had a chance to taste his kiss again.

Her fists clenched around the leather straps in an attempt to steady herself against him. He released her waist, his hands wrapping around hers, caressing, reassuring. His lips pressed a tender kiss to the side of her head and then drifted down to her ear.

"Anything, Tifa. Anything you want, anything you need. Let me make it so for you."

One hand lifted to push the long, dark strands back and Genesis brushed his lips against the shell of her ear, barely touching, letting warm, moist breath play along the sensitive skin. He couldn't help but smile as her head tilted to allow him further access, but he didn't push that small advantage, simply staying with her, lingering. Licking lips gone dry, he dabbed his tongue here and there, felt her hands tighten further, pulling herself up, drawing him down, and rewarded her, wrapping his tongue around the length of her dangling earring and giving it a sliding tug.

Tifa had been right. She was melting; every touch, every breath over her skin, jolted straight to the center of her body and settled in a warm pool between her thighs. As his tongue let go of the earring, she pulled away slightly in an attempt to slow down, even though she knew it wasn't going to happen; after all, if just these simple touches turned her to mush, what hope did she have? Now his mouth was hovering over hers, patiently waiting, his breath mingling with hers, blue eyes brimming with passion peering out from behind heavy lids, tongue touching to his lips gently, but not reaching for her.

They stayed suspended there, hearts pounding, tension rising, hands clinging, but neither moving. Tifa heard a wispy, aching sound in the back of her throat and Genesis murmured that word once more in response.

"Anything."


	13. Marked by an Angel

_At least eight times; that's how many time I started this chapter, sometimes getting halfway through, only to throw the whole thing out and start again. Oh, the pressure! (Tifa and Genesis are probably thinking the same thing for entirely different reasons.) I just wanted it to feel right. (Yes, they are probably thinking that, too.) And after all that, when all was said and done, and I was finally satisified with it (and hopefully you will be as well), all I could think was 'DAMN! And they haven't even taken their clothes off yet!' But don't worry; there's more to come. (Oh, pardon the pun!)_

_A note on terminology: Hopefully, this is obvious in the story, but just in case: A plackart is a piece of armor that covers the stomach. It may not be the exact term for it; heaven knows the Japanese have different names for everything and every variation thereof, but it was the closest, most appropriate term I could find to define the armor SOLDIER's wear at their waist and over their stomach. I wondered if I was one of the only people in history that has tried to find out the anatomy of a ffvii SOLDIER's uniform. If anyone knows what that piece is called, let me know! _

_Thank you for reading and for all the reviews and encouragement! _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Marked by an Angel

Anything.

Such a simple word that encompassed so much. It grounded Tifa for a moment as nothing else would have.

What did she want from this man?

And the answer was just as simple, and just as encompassing.

Everything.

A simple offer with a simple answer, and suddenly it all seemed so complicated. She had wanted a man who would put her first, and now that she had him, she wasn't sure what that really meant.

She wanted…him. Beyond that, there was no clear thought. For all his honesty, for all his sensuality and suggestiveness, this moment was still very much an unknown.

There were so many things she wanted. What would Genesis do if she were to push the straps that crossed his chest out of the way, remove the plackart that armored his stomach, and simply run her hands up under the form fitting sweater beneath it? How would he react to her dropping to her knees and unbuckling, unzipping, and freeing him from all the wonderful leather that encased his body? If she were to inspect, touch, taste every inch of him to prove it as flawless as what she could already see?

She bit her lip against the insecurity that was rising within. So unlike her, it was an emotion she couldn't help but feel when in Genesis' company, stripping her of any logic or rational thought.

Genesis watched this play of emotion, lips twitching in humor, eyes mischievous with passion. He didn't fight the temptation to kiss her nose, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, simple exploratory kisses meant to gentle and distract, comfort and tempt.

Tifa couldn't help but react, her lip drawn to his as if magnetized, pulled together by a force she didn't understand, but as she leaned in Genesis drew back incrementally. Waiting for her to catch up with him, he let their lips cling briefly before retreating again, holding out the inevitable until she whimpered in frustration, hands raising to thread fingers through damp hair, and she held him as she pressed her mouth to his. With a sigh and groan of satisfaction, he sank into the kiss, surrendering to the desperation he felt radiating from her. Lips sliding against hers, slipping open, he let her explore him, her tongue sweeping into his mouth, caressing, delicately tasting. Sharp, even teeth tentatively nipped at the flesh of his bottom lip, eliciting a growl, and wrapping his arms around her, lifting and crushing her to his body, Genesis let just a tiny bit of his passionate aggression slip, taking over the kiss and delving into the softness of Tifa's willing mouth.

Tifa couldn't help but be aware of the shift in control, of his arms, impossibly strong, surrounding her and lifting her while his mouth devoured hers, and a distant, hazy part of her brain became aware that she needed this man to take control, wanted him to master her with the complete male confidence and irresistible sensuality of which she had only tasted. His strength, unexpectedly exciting, added to the intensity of the moment, sending a pulse of heat that vibrated sharply through her. A hand guided one leg to curl high around his thigh. Trusting his strength, she managed to wind the other leg to mirror the first, circling her arms around his neck, and his hands were that quickly gripping her thighs, lifting her further so her legs encircled his waist. Crying out, Tifa wrenched her lips from his to throw her head back at the intimate press of hard heat, and sobbed breathlessly as Genesis wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her, pressing into her, exponentially building the intensity of the current rippling through her.

Genesis ceased the movement just as the pressure threatened to crest. Tifa took her time catching her breath, head slowly rolling up to see Genesis watching her, his eyes brighter and a just a hint darker than she was familiar with, his face set in determined lines, expression intent and fascinated at the same time.

"Tell me what you want, Tifa."

Licking her lips as she tried to blink away the sheen of delirium in her eyes, Tifa could only shake her head.

"Show me what you want," He amended.

Still overcome, Tifa couldn't get more than a rasp out.

"I…can't."

She could feel the deep chuckle reverberate through her body, through her arms, through her throat where his lips were now pressed, through that tender point of pressure where their hips were locked together.

"Ah, Love. Then I will keep that promise another time." His lips trailed down her neck, softly open, warm breath teasing the sensitive skin, bringing forth a slight tremble which ended in a soft cry as teeth retraced that path, latching on just beneath the ear for the briefest nibble before the moist thick heat of his tongue swirled away any discomfort.

He was walking, slowly, though easily even with her wrapped around him, every shift of his weight creating delicious friction that, with the magic his mouth was creating, made it very hard for her to focus on his words. Vaguely, she was aware of the sweeping of branches against her skin, and shade casting over her body. Genesis dropped to his knees and sat back so she rested on his thighs, and she glanced up to find he had moved them into the shade of the willow tree she had been sitting under when she first saw him. He shifted her hips ever so slightly, bringing her attention back to him as she grasped at the sleek muscles of his upper arms.

Genesis smiled at her, so charming, so smug.

"You are so sensitive, Tifa."

He wrapped his hands around her trim waist, fingers kneading gently, and then sliding up under the cropped top, thumbs feathering against her, at the rim of her belly button, at the hollow of her belly, at the underside of her breasts, creating a line of tension that drew her body into his touch, pushing into his fingers, her shoulders thrown back to expose her body to as much of his touch as he would grant. The pads of his thumbs traced along the underside of her breast, teasing over the tight enclosing fabric, and the simple thought of those fingers on unencumbered skin had her clutching his shoulders tightly and grinding herself into his body.

Genesis waited, giving nothing more, nothing less; waited until Tifa was trembling in his arms, until her breath came short and rapid, until a small keening sounded with every full contact with his body, and when he sensed her approaching that elusive edge again, he returned his hands to her waist, once again stilling her movements, drawing an exclamation of frustration from her, which turned into a breathy moan as his thumb caressed, drawing his attention to the tender skin on her waist just above her hipbone.

Reaching up to move her hands to the straps of his plackart, he shrugged out of his duster and swirled it around her shoulders in order to form a blanket for her as he lowered her to the ground. Tifa watched through glazed eyes, curious, as Genesis kissed along her midriff, unerringly replacing his thumb with his mouth on the erotic spot she had never known she had. Just his lips against it raised her hips off the ground in search of further contact, and when his mouth opened and he swirled his tongue in a lazy circle, her eyes slid closed as the heat coiled deep within, a low, breathy, incoherent murmur the only outlet. A few heartbeats and she became aware of the loss of contact, and gazed down her body to find Genesis merely hovering over her skin, his face nearly hidden within the fall of crimson hair. Reaching down, she wrapped her fingers in that hair and drew his mouth back to her skin.

She would never know the victorious smile that briefly touched his face as she unconsciously did what she thought she could not and showed him what she wanted. Tongue swirling again, one hand came to rest on her lower belly, the pressure restraining her, containing the pleasure. It slid lower, pressing into the soft mound of flesh at the apex of her thighs. Further, it rested against the delicate flesh of her inner thigh, squeezing slightly. Hand gliding, long fingers worked their way past scant, satin smooth underwear to stroke through moist, feminine flesh. Teeth nipping and tongue laving, he thrust two of those fingers into the depths of her body, humming his approval against her belly as she rose to meet his hand, writhing beneath him in an attempt to draw his fingers deeper. Delving slowly, luxuriating in the slick, tight heat of her body grasping at his fingers, he waited for her breathing to turn into short, harsh pants for air, which then became nonsensical noises drawn from her throat before pressing the palm of his hand into the swollen flesh it encountered with every stroke. The muscles in her body tightened, pushing harder, and when, in the midst of those senseless sounds, his name was drawn forth in a frantic plea, he sucked that bit of tender flesh at her waist into his mouth, rolling the taste over his tongue, and savored the cries he drew from her as her body rolled and writhed beneath him, tight heat rhythmically pulsing around his fingers.

Head turned to one side, eyes closed, lips slightly parted, and her body stretched out beneath Genesis, Tifa opened her eyes only as she felt Genesis sit up, and found him kneeling above her, straddling her leg, his hand, fingers damp, now resting lightly on her thigh. He waited for some clarity to return to her features before speaking, his voice roughened with lust, yet rich and eloquent.

"I've marked you." He nodded down at the darkening skin at her waist.

She shrugged, a lazy roll of her shoulders. "I'll be sure not to wear anything that will cover it up.

His head lifted, his chin jutting out, and Tifa was awed by the pleasure and pride she saw in his features. Had he really been worried she would not enjoy bearing that mark of pleasure?

"Will you let me mark you?"

Oh, but she was becoming daring, and her words clearly sent a shock through him, though the dark lust that filled his eyes declared just as clearly that the shock was a pleasant one.

"I will let you do anything you like, Ms. Lockhart."

The haze of lust that had consumed her brain had burnt off a bit, and, having been pulled back from the edge, Tifa could finally think through the passion that was consuming her. He looked satisfied, pleased with himself, but Tifa was ready to see something else in that expression; want and need, and she meant to take full advantage of his heady promise.


	14. Leather and Lace

_Rated M for explicit erotic content._

_Awesomeness first: Fairheartstrife has made a video inspired by this fic. She's still working on it, but has given me permission to post the link to the "rough draft"! I'm posting the link at the top of my profile because I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post it here. (I tried, it didn't format correctly.) Thank you, Fairheartstrife!_

_I'm holding my breath posting this. I have fretted over this chapter since I started writing this fanfic, and if I keep second guessing myself, I'll never post it, so I'm just going to do it! While I have scenes written for when Tifa gets back to Edge (yes, really), I reworked this chapter about twelve times before I was happy with it, and I'm still anxious! I hope I did this scene and the characters justice, and that it is not so many words (and for me, it's a lot of words for one chapter!) of total, unadulterated smut. I feel like I should explain so much about this scene, but I'm going to bite my tongue and just let you read with just the quick note to remember that this is just the beginning for Tifa and Genesis. (I really do feel like going into so much more explanation; not going to do it, not going to do it.) Yes, I admit it. I'm nervous about this one__._

_Thank you all for reading, and for the wonderful reviews and all the encouragement. _

_Enjoy_

_fire mystic_

Leather and Lace

Genesis leaned back as Tifa sat up, giving her room as she reached for the straps across his chest, studying them, puzzled by how exactly everything was held together. With a small smile, Genesis solved the problem by taking her hands firmly in his and moving them to the twin buckles at his waist, ghosting his fingers over hers as she finally made sense of the two buckles, freeing them despite the fine trembling he could feel in her hands. She was still unable to figure out what they were for until Genesis wrapped her fingers at the base of the plackart and together they pulled it to loosen it, and then guided it up over his head, letting it fall to the side. Bringing her hands back to his chest, Genesis drew them down over the plane of his stomach. Armor gone, Tifa sank her fingers into the soft material of the tank top, as she had wanted to, drawing it from where it was tucked, and pushing it up to reveal pale, toned flesh.

He was everything she imagined, lean muscle rippling under pale skin, and while his face held a certain beauty that might be considered feminine by some, his body did not reflect that in the least. Tifa touched over the defined lines of his abs, the wider plane of his chest, tingling at the play of muscle as Genesis removed the shirt completely. Her hands swept across the width of his shoulders, traced the lines of his biceps from just below his shoulder to just above his elbow, and then firmly tested the texture of the firm mass, wrapping around his arms, his fingers flexing against her thigh in response.

"You're perfect."

Cynical laughter rolled from his chest.

"I've learned the hard way how untrue that is, but if you would like to think it, I will defer to your superior wisdom."

Looking over his body once more, Tifa harrumphed quietly, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Genesis, but I have to disagree with you on that statement. " She smiled wickedly at his arched eyebrow. "What I'm thinking about your body has absolutely nothing to do with superior wisdom."

She rubbed her cheek against the firm, flat of his stomach, warm hands against his ribs stilling him as she placed small open-mouthed kisses at the apex of his ribs, her lips drawing at the tender skin she found there. She glanced up his body, pleased to find he had thrown his head back, and took it as a good sign she was bringing him some small amount of pleasure. Eyes locked on him, her hands slid down over warm, supple leather, and lower to fondle the hardness she found beneath.

Her tentative exploration drew his head forward so he could watch her, and the depth of emotion she caught in his eyes was breathtaking, causing her fingers to falter as they searched out the button at his waist.

Genesis held his breath as she released the button and then the zipper, waiting to see, perhaps, how far she might go, shifting to ease the growing tension in his erection. She didn't take her eyes from him as she once again touched her lips to that vulnerable spot beneath his ribs. And then her tongue, wet and firm, flicked out against his skin.

Genesis had remained still for her exploration, but the touch of her tongue was like a brand against his skin. Threading a hand through the thick, dark hair to cradle her head in his palm, he raised her lips to his, claiming them with barely restrained hunger.

Tifa had been intent on making Genesis need as much as she needed.

Now she knew his need was already equal to hers.

Within his kiss, her resolve, her reason was lost. His body compelled her to the ground, a firm hand at her waist guiding her descent, and then moving to the buttons of her blouse, easing them open with painful deliberateness, completely at odds with his heated kiss. Buttons undone, his mouth slid from hers, to her chin, down the column of her arching neck, over the prominent tendons at the base of her throat, pausing there long enough to lash his tongue into the delicate hollow between. Further, over the tight skin of her breastbone, and then he was nuzzling the fabric of her shirt from her skin with his face, kissing along whatever skin he exposed as he went.

From its gentle arching into his mouth, her body came to rest on the ground as he sat up to survey what he had revealed. A hand came to rest on her stomach, skimming over the silky skin, fingers memorizing the texture, and teasing over the clasp of material between her breasts before releasing it.

Genesis withdrew his hand, leaving the lacey material covering her breasts. Her chest was heaving, her eyes heavily lidded, but she watched him avidly. He pushed her hair from her face, catching the strands in his fingers and following them down over her shoulder, making sure to caress down her cheek, shoulder, and upper swell of her breast as he did so. His fingers brushed across a swollen nipple hidden beneath the lace, drawing a strangled sound from her. He repeated the motion, mirroring it on the opposite side, and when Tifa gasped his name in a breathy whisper, he relented, deftly removing the offending cloth.

From her position, observing the man above her, Tifa knew without doubt the fear one would feel when facing this man on the battlefield. The intensity he radiated was awesome, surely as much a weapon as any other he favored, and at this moment, it was all for her. She knew this man was dangerous; despite life-altering experiences, he was still SOLDIER, his instinct, stamina, strength, and reflexes, increased considerably beyond average, and finely honed through years of extreme training and the experience of battle. That he was taking such exquisite care with her, taking time to enjoy her and see to her comfort, made her feel precious, worshipped, and she wasn't sure how her body contained the previously unknown emotions flowing through her without simply igniting.

His fingers worked the fastenings of her skirt, and, without hesitation, he pulled it down the length of her legs, removing her shoes in the process. He was a bit slower about removing her underwear, dropping a lingering kiss to her lower belly as he slipped the delicate fabric past her hips and teased it along her skin as he removed them.

Tifa wasn't sure what she had expect from Genesis, wasn't sure what she expected him to do. She felt unbearably shy stretched out before him like this, but incredibly wanton as well. She wasn't sure that she shouldn't be disappointed he hadn't already fallen upon her and completely ravished her, and found her curiosity was getting the best of her as he instead stretched out beside her on his side, propping his head up on the hand of one folded arm.

Stretched out, still partially dressed, he was simply looking at her, and not, she noted with some amusement, at only what most men would stare at. His gaze wandered slowly over her body, caressing over bared skin, following curves. Self-consciously, she felt the heat rise to the surface of her skin as he studied her for long minutes, until she began to squirm restlessly under his scrutiny.

His index finger at the pulse point of her wrist stilled her instantly. Every fiber of her being was abruptly focused on that single point of contact, and as that finger trailed over her skin, her body, with a will of its own, seemed to rise into that touch, flexing as if to demand more contact, yet what stimulated her most was the lack of contact and the unexpectedness of it.

That wrist became the starting point of an extremely sensual journey over her entire body. From that point to the other wrist, then back to her slender neck, down the center of her body to her belly button, and then the firm press of his palm against her belly. The full contact after the teasing of his finger was stunning, and, exhaling sharply, Tifa pushed her body up into his hand. Stroking upwards, Genesis came to rest his fingers on her collarbone, hand spread wide, massaging gently, and then wrapped his hand over the slenderness of her throat.

Watching the progress of his hand, Genesis was not unaware of Tifa's responses. He knew when her eyes widened, sensed the slight wave of panic that stiffened her body, felt the ripple of her swallowing against his hand. Looking up into her eyes, he smiled gently.

"Tifa." Just her name, and yet in the hoarseness of his voice was such need, such pleasure, and a plea for her trust. She softened, and his hand was now capturing her chin, turning her face to his, his mouth descending on hers.

No pressure. No rush. No forceful thrusting. No desperation.

It was so gentle; a slow, tender kiss, in which he gave and demanded nothing. His hand was moving again, and a line of intense heat stretched from where his mouth met hers to where his hand caressed. Over her breast, he rolled his palm over a nipple, and then lightly squeezed the surrounding flesh. Smoothing down over her hip and thigh, he drew her knee up, rolling her into him so he could wrap his hand around a slender ankle before skimming to her knee, her thigh, and finally resting his palm against her lower belly, his fingers curled to cup her as her hips rose to meet him.

Tifa could barely think to kiss Genesis back. Her mind was reeling at his tender, relentless assault, and yet she responded, murmuring huskily, and Genesis drank the pleasure from her mouth.

Clenching fists at her side, Tifa couldn't wait anymore, had to have this man, had to prompt more from him in some way, before she simply melted in his arms. Her body aching in a most primitive way, she desperately grasped at the waistband of his pants, pushing the leather while at the same time wrapping her leg around his to pull him closer. Giving up on the pants, which were going nowhere fast, she slipped her hand within and curled her fingers around throbbing, swollen flesh and muscle.

Genesis broke the kiss, grunting softly, hair falling forward as he dropped his head, eyes sliding shut. Tifa rippled her fingers along his length, then stroked as much as the close confines would allow, rolling her fingers around the tip and then stroking down again. Genesis stopped her with a hand on her wrist, pulling her from him and pushing her lightly away.

Panic flared for the briefest moment, as Tifa worried she had done something wrong, but then Genesis was sitting up, removing his boots and hastily pushing the pants from his body before returning to her side and drawing her hand back to his own aching flesh, encouraging her to touch him, stroking her arm, her face, and threading his fingers through her hair soothingly as she clasped him gently.

So smooth. So soft, yet so hard. The sensations coursed through Tifa, making her nearly delirious with desire. The velvet skin stretched over unyielding muscle, the width of him, the length of him, but mostly the sensation of pulsing heat within her grasp was overwhelmingly intoxicating and strangely empowering. She wanted him, wanted to feel that heat and power against her, inside her, filling her, possessing her, and as her hand moved over him, she wriggled closer to him, mindless, desperate for even more intimate contact, drawing him to her with a leg around his upper thigh while rubbing the cushioned tip of his erection against her belly as her hips rolled of their own volition in anticipation.

Genesis rolled with her, bracing himself above her and letting her guide him, resisting his own urges to simply drive forward and lose himself in her. There was time enough for that; in his heart and mind, he had claimed her, but only with her acceptance of him, and he would do no less now. On the verge of physically claiming her, he waited for her guidance, her acquiescence; her surrender.

And acquiesce, she did. An anxious whimper brought his focus to her lips, which silently formed his name as he watched. His eyes flickered to hers and caught as she released him into her body.

There was no need for words now. She told him what she needed with her hands, with her body, with the eager, impatient sounds she made. Tight, wet heat gripped him as she rose to accept him. His kept his thrusts shallow, but Tifa was having none of that, her legs encircling his hips, bringing him deeper, drawing him into a driving rhythm.

Tifa exalted in the exquisite penetration; it was so much more than she expected, and the satisfaction of it was pure perfection and had her writhing beneath him, grinding against him, in an attempt to capture Genesis as deeply as possible.

In response to her demand, Genesis shifted to his knees, curling hands around her hips to bring her with him, never breaking eye contact. The change of position opened her further to him, and she cried out at the delicious impact as he fully stretched her. Using his grip on her hips, he drew her to him bodily as he plunged into her, punctuating each thrust, short but slow, and so deep, and that quickly the intensity was building within her body, winding a tight coil from where they were joined to the center of her chest, each thrust winding tighter. Wondering how much her body could take before spinning out of control, Tifa still clung to that sensation with each wave of pleasure, letting it build until it practically neared the point of discomfort, frantic for release. Skin flushed and radiating heat, she ran her hands over her own body to assuage the tingling sensations, but to no avail. Overloaded and gasping for air, she reached for the only person who could see her through this.

Genesis was completely consumed. This felt so right, confirming everything he had believed since he had first seen Tifa in this very spot. How appropriate it was that they were here, like this, at this moment. For once, he didn't have the words to describe his feelings, to describe how beautiful, how desirable, this woman was, stretched out beneath him in the throes of mutual passion, reaching out to him.

Unable to do anything else, compelled as he had been since that first day, he leaned forward, twining a hand with hers, and rolled his hips sharply, throwing her into violent orgasm and allowing his own body, far past its breaking point, its release into the spasms that followed.


	15. In the Moments After

_Rated M for a bit of erotic/sensual content and mature themes._

_This chapter isn't what I expected it to be at all. However, except for a few minor details, it flowed, and I let it take its course. In the tiny corner of my brain that plans these things, the serious conversation and resulting disclosures that occur in this chapter came much later, but Genesis got the best of me and inevitably steered me in this direction, and it seemed natural. That said, I may have also taken some liberties with the facts in the above mentioned disclosures, but hopefully not too much so that it will be glaring. _

_Are you confused? My apologies; that's what I get for trying to explain my insanity without giving anything away!_

_Thank you for reading, and for all the wonderful, reassuring, inspiring, and curiosity-driven reviews. I hope I am satiating that curiosity along the way in an enjoyable way!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic _

In the Moments After

Fear is a terrible emotion, seeping in at the strangest times, unwanted and claustrophobic. It makes us vulnerable, questioning our actions and feelings as well as those of others, and as the sharp edge of passion was satiated, it was this insidious emotion that crept into Tifa's mind.

Magnificent. It was the only word that came to Tifa's mind as Genesis hovered over her in his release, holding her firmly to him as he poured into her. It was accompanied by a spasm in her heart that took her breath, an indication of the depths of her feelings. As he settled her hips gently back on the cushion of his duster, she locked her legs around him, refusing to release the intimate contact, effectively forcing Genesis to follow her to the ground, his body resting in her, on her, while his arms caught the majority of his weight.

The fear rose then, irrational but overwhelming, like a lingering nightmare, that he would now pull away, satisfied, and inform her that she had misunderstood the depth of his feelings for her.

Where was this insecurity coming from? She had never experienced it previously, always relatively confident in her encounters with men. Did this mean so much more to her that she was so affected?

Genesis shifted slightly, and Tifa couldn't help her response, her hands coming up to grip his arms, holding him to her. It was unnecessary. He moved no further than to let his weight rest on one arm so he could bring the other up to caress her face, brushing her hair back, running his fingers over her cheek, his thumb over her lips. Pressing his cheek to hers, he drew a shuddering breath, nuzzling into the soft skin near her ear.

"Are you sure you are all right like this?"

He felt her nod against his head.

"I'm fine. Don't move. I want to feel you." She was so proud that her fear didn't come through in her voice. The last thing she wanted was to sound desperate and clingy.

He pushed up on his arm so he could see her face, rubbing his nose against hers, kissing the corner of her mouth. His tenderness nearly brought tears to her eyes.

"Then I will stay here as long as you like, Tifa," he whispered between kisses.

"I…I don't want you to disappear." It was as close as she was going to get to vocalizing her fear.

Gentle fingers on her chin turned her head and held her so he could search her eyes.

"I am right here, Tifa." His lips feathered hers. "I am not going to disappear." He flexed his hips, a poignant reminder of how 'there' he was. "There is no place I would rather be."

Tifa gasped as he surged into now over-sensitized flesh. Her worries were soothed by his words and actions and, forcing the fear back, she was finally able to bask in the moment. She surprised herself with the quiet laughter that bubbled from her throat.

Genesis dropped his head to her shoulder, his eyes slipping closed in bliss. Did she know how sexy that laugh was? Did she know what it did to him? It was feminine, but deep, rolling over him in an intoxicating wave, vibrating deep within her body where he was still buried, causing him to throb in response.

It was the laughter of a woman well satisfied.

"I'm being silly," she admitted, releasing her grip on his arms. "I just want to stay close."

She regretted the loss as he slipped from her body and rolled to his side, but he immediately pulled her into his arms, and though he handled her with the utmost care, he held her tightly, possessively. She nestled against him, rolling her face against the curve of his shoulder and chest, inhaling deeply the scent of fresh air, sweat and sex on his skin. Had she ever been held like this? She couldn't remember, but she was sure that if she had, it had never been this comfortable, felt this right, or felt this safe.

She remained like that, long minutes passing with nothing but the sound of birds and an occasional splash from the nearby water. And Genesis' heart beating solid and steady beneath her ear. Had he fallen asleep? The idea brought a smile to her face and she couldn't help but check, turning her head up to see his face, and found him gazing at her, sparkling blue filtering through thick lashes on lowered lids.

"I thought you might be sleeping."

"I'm too curious to sleep."

Tifa resettled herself slightly.

"Curious about what?"

He ran his hand down her arm, settled it on her hip.

"You. I've been selfish with your time, always talking about me. I want you to tell me about you."

The crinkle in her brow was absolutely adorable. Genesis never thought he would think of a woman in those terms.

Tifa didn't get it. She hadn't thought of him as being selfish at all, but he was right; she hadn't talked much about herself. But what was there to tell? What did he want to know? Though there were wonderful things in her life, it was mundane compared to his.

"I don't know what to tell you."

"Perhaps we should start with the basics. I know you grew up in Nibelheim, but where do you live now? What do you do?"

His asking the questions helped quite a bit, made it easier for her to filter through the tidbits of information. "Edge. I live in Edge."

She noticed him scrunch his nose and pushed up onto her elbow.

"You don't approve!" Her voice held indignation.

He shook his head. "It is not disapproval. Edge has been through quite a bit. I know it can be a hard place to live, to survive. It is difficult to think of you there."

He guided her back to rest against him. "Tell me more."

"If you think that is difficult, you may not like the rest."

"I have no illusion about your life being easy, Tifa. Tell me."

"I own a bar." She blurted it out, harsher than she meant it to be, and she took a calming breath. "Seventh Heaven. It used to be in Sector Seven, but, obviously I needed to relocate. It's pretty much a full time occupation for me, and then there are the kids; orphans that I take care of."

Genesis was impressed. It was more than he expected, but he was not surprised Tifa had so much responsibility.

"You do this all by yourself?"

Tifa had worried he might be critical; rather, he sounded as if he were in awe.

"Well, no. Not really, not always. It feels like it at times, but I do have friends who help out."

"Is it enough?" She was being kind, giving credit to her friends, but Genesis wasn't convinced.

Tifa sat up, looking out over the water.

"No, it's not enough."

A note of sadness had entered her voice. It didn't go unnoticed. Genesis sat up, wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

"Do you want to tell me? Or would you rather talk about something else?"

Tifa leaned back against him. "Do you really want to know the answer?"

"Everything, Tifa. I want to know everything, anything you want to share, but only if you are comfortable sharing it."

It occurred to Tifa she wasn't being fair. Despite his past, Genesis had risked everything telling her his own truth, and here she was, not wanting to burden him with her mundane complaints and leaving him with the impression that she didn't want to reciprocate.

"I'm not uncomfortable, Genesis," she reassured him, and decided to start over. "I take care of the bar, I take care of the children, and most of the time I take care of Cloud's business because he's hardly ever around." She stopped abruptly, realizing that she had never mentioned Cloud in a personal way to him before; in fact, she hadn't even thought of Cloud in days. How was Genesis going to react to the fact that a man lived over the bar with her, a man who she was close to, shared a past with, and had once wanted more from. It was inevitable that she would have to explain this, but she decided to wade in gently. "He runs a delivery service out of an upstairs office at the bar; I take messages for him and relay them to him on his cell wherever he is on the road. Strife Delivery Service, how can I help you? I've gotten good at answering the phone like that." She smiled wanly.

"Strife?" Genesis' curiosity was peaked. "Cloud Strife?"

Tifa turned to see his reaction. "You've heard of him." She didn't need to ask; she could hear the recognition in his voice.

"He defeated Sephiroth." His voice held pain and regret, but Tifa couldn't be sure why. Perhaps it was the mention of Sephiroth. Genesis recovered quickly, shaking his head as if to dispel whatever thoughts had crossed his mind. "I've also seen his name mentioned in various files I've come across."

"Really?" It was now Tifa who was curious.

"I wasn't paying much attention, but I think Hojo may have had a special interest in Cloud Strife. He was lucky to have escaped Hojo's plans. And now, years later, you work with him. How strange the twists of fate."

"I don't really work with him. It's more like I pick up the pieces and hold it all together. Cloud spends most of his time on the road, hardly ever coming home, so he doesn't have time for the small details of the job. And he's not…very reliable. I can't always count on him."

Genesis shifted slightly before addressing the subtlety of her words. He knew it was not a good idea to discuss former lovers with a current one, but how could he not ask when it was clear she was trying to make a point without spelling it out specifically.

"He has hurt you."

She whipped around to stare at him.

"How do you know that?"

"I can hear it in your voice."

Tifa swallowed. "I didn't know how you would react."

His breath warmed her shoulder, her neck, sending a sizzle of sensation down her back as his lips caressed the tendon there.

"What am I supposed to be reacting to, Tifa?"

"I don't want you to misunderstand, that's all." She was suddenly having a hard time putting her thoughts together coherently. "I thought you might find it strange that Cloud lives with me, that we are close. I didn't want you to be surprised by it, or think it is something that it's not."

His mouth lifted long enough for him to sweep tendrils of hair from the skin before him.

"Then may I ask what it is?"

"It's…" What was it? What was Cloud? A friend? Family? A former crush? No. He was all of the above.

"Cloud and I have known each other almost our entire lives. We grew up in Nibelheim together, and although we didn't spend a lot of time together, we were always friends. After that, our paths crossed again, and we stuck together, like family." She took a deep breath before her next admission. "There was a time I wanted more than that, but not anymore. So now we're friends. Close friends, but not everyone would understand it."

His lips were resting on her neck, but he wasn't kissing her. For a long moment, he didn't move at all. He finally lifted his mouth enough to speak.

"If he were to offer you more now, would you consider it?"

Tifa reached back, lacing a hand through the silk that was Genesis' hair, and pulled him forward, kissing him possessively.

"No. That's part of what I want you to understand. If I've learned anything from my experiences with him, it's what I don't want."

"And in learning what you don't want, did you find what you do want?"

"For a long time, I thought things would work themselves out, and when I realized how wrong I was, it was too late. Everything had spiraled out of control, and I was left feeling bitter and angry with myself for letting it happen, for being so blind. For not taking care of me. Life had stopped for me, wasn't working the way it was supposed to, and I knew I was missing out on something. I felt…trapped. And when it all finally overwhelmed me, I had to escape, hoping I would at least be able to figure out what I wanted."

"Have you figured it out?"

There was no judgment in his voice, no condemnation. Was he really so accepting, taking all her emotional baggage in stride, even expressing his concern for her, his understanding, with the tone of his voice and the warm comfort of his body.

Her heart felt as if a weight had been lifted from it.

"I think I'm close."

He strengthened his embrace, reminding her of his arms wrapped securely around her.

"Do you feel trapped now?"

Her hand spasmed in his hair, but she didn't release him.

"No. I don't think I've ever felt as free as I have in my time with you."

He surprised her, nipping the edge of her ear playfully, gently pulling her hand from his hair.

"Then perhaps we should make the most of that time."

There was no time for reaction. His speed was incredible, and before she knew it, he had lifted her from the ground, and, wading into the water, tossed her high in the air to come down with a yelp and a splash into the sun-warmed water.


	16. Simple Invitation

_I had a strange time with this chapter. I feel like I may have been too subtle in the imagery and the emotions I wanted to convey, but any attempt to fix it made me feel like I was overstating. Guh. I hate when that happens._

_I also fixed the minor discrepancy in the last chapter (if anyone noticed it - or was bothered by it__). I caught it on my last read-through, and realized the simple detail that I had forgotten. It's not worth re-reading. Tifa had realized she hadn't mentioned Cloud to Genesis before, but she had, just not in a personal way, which is what I meant. So to those who may have noticed and been bothered, I edited it to clarify. _

_Thank you for reading and reviewing. I am so encouraged by all the excellent feedback!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Simple Invitation

Genesis was never going to get tired of watching her as she slept.

He had moved his duster from the shade of the willow when they exited the water, laying it out so they could dry in the sun. Tifa had curled up at his side, nearly purring in contentment, and promptly fell asleep. While her hair was wet even after she had rung it out, it now spun a gentle web over her face and his chest. He swept the strands back, relishing the sensation of them slipping through his fingers. She shifted slightly, nestling her face into his skin, turning as if hiding from the light, which was now coming from where the sun was falling in the western sky.

He had held her, rested with her, but his survival and protective instincts would not allow him to sleep, not in the open like this, and it was just as well; he needed to experience the inner peace that had welled up within much more than he needed sleep.

Earlier, she had come up out of the water, sputtering, and then bursting into delighted, heartfelt laughter. The sight and sound of her had made him instantly grateful he had gone with his mischievous urge. He couldn't remember ever having felt comfortable enough with anyone to expose this side of his personality, but he knew from Tifa's previous teasing that she had a sense of humor, and it had eased his mind enough to test the waters, so to speak. She had declared him the victor by surprise attack, and, wrapping herself around him, had awarded him with a kiss that threatened to heat the water around them, making him wonder how he had been able to breathe without her.

Tifa stretched against him, blinking her eyes against the afternoon sun, luxuriating in the friction of her softer skin against his more masculine. The sensation reminded her of washing him in the fresh water of the lake; smoothing, caressing, her hands over the entirety of his body as he did the same to her, shamelessly using the erotic task to discover how sensitive he was, how he flexed to her touch, completely pliable in her hands, how he shivered when her fingers grazed each rib in turn, and how, when she circled the bone at his hip and drew her nails down the tender skin of his belly, he thrust helplessly, reflexively into her hands.

When those simple ministrations had left her incoherent, he had taken her again, lifting her body to his and entering her, infinitely gentle, moving with lingering sweetness with the water lapping against their skin.

She was aware of his gaze before she looked up at him, and she wasn't disappointed at the warm, comfortable expression she found. A strange thought occurred to her.

"I want you to come to dinner. At the inn."

Genesis was clearly amused by this.

"At the inn? Tonight?"

She sat up, nodding.

"I want to cook for you." It was strange, she knew, but she didn't know when she'd have a chance like this again after she went back to Edge.

"You don't think Minna would mind?"

"I think she would love your company. It will be like a real family dinner. Can we do that?"

He could hardly contain his amusement.

"Are you taking me home to meet the family, Tifa?"

A smile lit up her face, but it was thoughtful and somewhat sad. "Something like that, yes. Will you do it?"

He really would never be able to refuse her anything.

"Of course I'll do it, Love."

Tifa was on her feet scrambling into her clothes, checking the progress of the sun in the sky. She grabbed his pants and tossed them at him, ignoring his laughter.

"Hurry up. We have to go now, before it's too late. I want to be able to prepare the meal."

She was dressed long before he was, and paced impatiently as she watched him work his way methodically through all the buckles and zippers.

"Too many clothes, Genesis. Far too many clothes."

He retrieved his duster from the ground and shook it out with a wry grin before slipping it on and drawing Tifa to his side and directing her to his bike.

"I'm thinking of them as something for you to play with while the anticipation builds." He settled himself on the bike and waited for Tifa to do the same before starting it.

"Besides, all the buckles remind me of restraints." He glanced over his shoulder. "Tell me, Ms. Lockhart; what do you think of restraints?"

The engine roared on his last word, leaving Tifa speechlessly holding on as he set the bike in motion. Perhaps his playful side wasn't such a great thing, especially when she couldn't tell whether or not to take him seriously.

As expected, Minna was thrilled when Tifa arrived at the door with Genesis in tow, and seemed deliriously happy to have Tifa in the kitchen preparing the meal. Minna busied herself with assisting, impressing Tifa with her ability to take a back seat and not control everything in her environment. In fact, she seemed perfectly content to chatter with Genesis, who was comfortably seated at the table, as she took care of little odds and ends. While he had offered to help, the immediate refusal, in unison, no less, from the two women was comical. So he sat, legs crossed, one arm draped over the back of the chair, the other on his knee, and entertained them as they worked, apparently content to watch.

Tifa took her time. She had no doubt of her skill in the kitchen, but the added pressure of wanting to please Genesis made her careful of the small details. He was watching her, his eyes following her about the room as she worked, a hint of a smile on his lips, casually reaching to brush her skin when she came close, letting his fingers linger as she passed. She hoped he was enjoying the same feelings of warm home comfort and special consideration.

As they sat down to dinner, Tifa couldn't contain her pleased smile as she observed the others. Minna and Asa were going out of her way to make Genesis welcome, and Minna gushed privately, girlishly, to Tifa whenever she got the chance. The food was wonderful, everyone, especially Genesis confirmed, and the conversation was light and pleasant.

It was exactly what Tifa had been hoping for when she had issued her spontaneous invitation.

As dinner drew to a close, though, Tifa's thoughts turned to the future. Minna's acceptance was wonderful, but it reminded Tifa that not everyone would so easily accept Genesis, and with that, she was painfully reminded how short her time here was. She had conveniently forgotten her vacation schedule and reality was starting to weigh on her mind, making it a supreme effort to keep her spirits up.

She excused herself in an attempt to pull herself together, unable to believe how close the tears were to the surface once she was out of the room, and the physical pain that had settled in the vicinity of her heart was a raw ache. She washed her face quickly, quelling the tears, and, letting the cold water sting against her skin, she forced the little voice in her head that was ranting at her to shut up. There would be enough time, she assured it, for her to worry over this feeling, and to be homesick for a place that wasn't even really home.

When she made her way back to the living room, she was confused but relieved to find Minna alone.

"Asa asked your young man to help him with something," she explained without being asked. "He was more than agreeable, despite his concern for you."

Tifa sagged on the couch beside Minna.

"I was that obvious, huh?"

Minna patted her knee. "It wasn't that bad, no, and it's completely understandable, Tifa. Tell me, are you sure you can't extend your vacation a few more days?"

As good as that sounded, Tifa couldn't figure a way to do it. It was bad enough she had left for as long as she had, bad enough that she had lied about her destination, and worse that she hadn't bothered to contact any of her friends in her time away. She couldn't call now and say 'hey, guess what? I'm going to be gone for a few more days'.

She had her train ticket, and, unless she wanted her friends tracking her down, she couldn't come up with a good enough excuse for not getting on that train.

Tomorrow.

The front door closed, and Asa appeared in the living room a few seconds later, Genesis close behind, his height making Asa seem small by comparison.

Minna took the spotlight off Tifa, who couldn't quite school her features quickly enough.

"I know your research has kept you out at that old Shinra place, Genesis." Tifa had to marvel at her tact. "I'd like you to accept our hospitality and stay here tonight."

"That's a very generous offer, Minna."

"One, I trust, you are too much a gentleman to refuse." She was not going to take no for an answer. She could only guess what was up in that Shinra pit. Tifa would probably be more comfortable not going back there, and, if she had any say, she would make sure Tifa had as much time as possible with Genesis.

"In that case, it will be my pleasure to accept." He winked at Tifa, charmed by her blush. He would keep it to himself that this would not be the first night he had spent in the inn.

Asa shifted into motion. "Well, I guess I should open another guest room." Minna's laughter was coy as she rose to take her husbands hand.

"That won't be necessary, Dearest. I'm sure Genesis will be quite comfortable, and I think it's time we left the young couple to their privacy, don't you?" The suggestiveness in her voice was enough to quiet the man's protests and he followed her quickly from the room.

"Is that our cue?" Genesis asked, his voice soft, almost hesitant, as if he didn't want to startle her.

Tifa could feel the heat infuse her face. It felt odd to have their relationship acknowledged, to know that someone else was so keenly aware of their romantic involvement and accepted it, approved of it, but it was very satisfying, and Tifa suspected this kind of reception would not be commonplace.

She led him to her room, holding the door open for him and letting it slip closed with a hushed click.


	17. Promises for Tomorrow

_I apologize for the delay in updating. I hope this is worth the wait. I also really hope I managed to clearly convey what I was hoping for with this chapter. I'm sure your reviews will tell me if I succeeded or failed. I'm going to hide now. _

_Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Your comments are wonderful and encouraging._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Promises for Tomorrow

"I have to leave tomorrow."

Genesis was standing in the center of the room as she closed the door and leaned against it. He stood waiting for her, as if he had never been in the room before, as if he had never lain on the bed with her. It was clear that the words she blurted out were not what he had been expecting to hear.

His reaction wasn't what she expected, either.

Tifa felt horrible. Her slip in memory wasn't fair, to either of them, and now she had to find a way to explain it.

"Have I distracted you so thoroughly, Ms. Lockhart?" He was disarmingly handsome, with an expression that was coy and self-satisfied. Tifa felt her cheeks heat.

"Well…yes. You're not angry?"

He shrugged, using the gesture to slip his duster off his shoulders. "What is there to be angry about? I knew you were on vacation, and that it was a matter of short time before you would have to go home. Granted, I wish it were not so soon, but it is not unexpected."

He was removing his plackart, slowly unbuckling it as he spoke, and Tifa was mesmerized by the deft motion of his fingers. He pulled it away, tossing it on the chair behind him, and followed in the same manner with each piece of clothing. Kneeling up on the bed, he reached for her hand.

"Come. I don't want to talk about tomorrow."

Tifa climbed up to kneel before him, and for the second time that day, Genesis proved his fingers as nimble with her clothing as with his own.

When he finished his task, he lay down on the bed, opening his arms, as vulnerable as Tifa could imagine him, and inviting her to lie beside him. He immediately wrapped her in his arms, letting their bodies rub together, and, closing his eyes, buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.

The simplicity and tenderness of the action took Tifa by surprise and she floundered momentarily until her arms found their way around to hold him.

It was entirely different from the lust and passion they had shared, but no less intense. The comfort Tifa found in his strength, the shift of masculine muscle against feminine, the simple pleasure of his skin pressed against hers, his arms securely around her, shifting so slightly to hold her closer, grip her tighter, the soft rasp of his breath against her skin, the peacefulness of simply being there with him. Tifa had never found this peace in anyone before.

Neither broke the silence. They let the seconds stretch to minutes, and then to hours. They drifted off in each others arms, but would wake occasionally and that soft, comfortable touching would evolve into a slow burning passion, and the cycle would repeat itself.

When morning broke, they woke as they had gone to sleep, entangled with each other, Tifa on her back, pillowed on one arm, the other curled around her, and one long leg bent over hers, a tight thigh pressing the tender flesh of her own.

If not for what the day would bring, Tifa could imagine it was real, that it was how things were meant to be, that they would be waking up like this every morning.

If only.

Tifa showered first, dressing as Genesis took his turn. As much as they would have enjoyed it, the shower simply wasn't big enough for two. It was no big deal, but Tifa felt like it was fate already pushing them apart, and as she finished up her packing, it occurred to her that they hadn't really talked about how things were going to work in the future.

Or even if there would be a future.

Oh, no, she was sure they had discussed this. Hadn't they? She watched him as he dressed, trying to think back for any hint that this was more than a vacation fling.

"Genesis?"

He turned to her, leather clinging to long legs, chest bare, blue eyes sparkling, questioning.

She shook her head. She was going to let it go, see if he said anything. Maybe she was just being silly.

"Never mind."

He brushed hair back from her face. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Let's go get breakfast."

* * *

Saying goodbye to Asa and Minna, especially Minna, wasn't easy for Tifa; she felt like she had found a friend and second mother in Minna. She hugged Asa warmly before he went off to his morning chores. He offered to take her to the train station, but Genesis surprised them all with his own offer.

"You don't mind?" Asa confirmed.

"Absolutely not. That is, if Tifa doesn't mind."

Tifa could hardly squeak out her response. "Not at all." This was entirely unexpected.

"Would you mind if we make one stop. I don't want to rush you, but it will mean we have to leave soon. Is that all right?"

A stop? Tifa's curiosity was piqued. "A surprise?"

"Of sorts." A smile and a wink was all that accompanied his answer.

Minna pulled her aside as Genesis secured her bag on the bike.

"You're going to call, right? And write. I want to hear from you. And you are definitely going to come back to visit, right?"

Tifa hugged her tightly as her eyes teared. "Of course I will. You've been wonderful, and this feels like home. I don't know how to thank you!"

"You're going to thank me by keeping in touch with me! And letting me know how it goes with that young man of yours." She pulled back, her eyes twinkling.

Tifa smiled, wiping away her tears. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell anyone else, Minna. No one will understand."

Minna stroked her face, kissed her cheek. Tifa felt like family. "I understand, and you can always talk to me, and you're always welcome here. Now you scoot before I start crying again. Have a safe trip home and you make sure you to let me know you made it safe!" She gave Tifa a loving push out the door, wiping her own tears away.

As Tifa climbed on the bike, Genesis pressed her hands against his chest, leaning back slightly to whisper.

"I'll check on her now and then if it makes you feel better." She merely nodded against his back, burying her face in the supple leather.

Tifa couldn't figure out where Genesis wanted to stop, but as he detoured and took them off road, winding through the woods, her heart skipped as words spoken only days ago surfaced clearly in her mind.

"_It is my wish to someday make love with you in this place."_

The field was as pretty as she remembered; the flowers fully open, but reaching for a sun that this day was hidden behind clouds. It was bittersweet, and Tifa was once again reminded that her vacation was coming to an end. Genesis parked at the edge of the clearing and led her practically to the center of the field.

"You remembered," she breathed as she inhaled the sweet fragrance of the flowers.

"Did you think I would forget? From first I met you, I imagined you in this place, your pale skin stretched out beneath me in the flowers, their scent intermingling with yours. I couldn't let you leave without indulging this fantasy."

Cradling her cheek in his hand, he kissed her forehead, her temple, cheek, the tip of her nose, brushing only a fleeting kiss to her lips as his mouth mapped a meandering line down her throat and the nape of her neck as he lifted her blouse over her head and dropped it in the surrounding flowers. Flicking his tongue at the base of her throat, he flicked a moist trail down the center of her chest, between her breasts, and fell to his knees before her to kiss the soft skin of her belly. He nipped along the soft skin of her belly, one arm circling her hips to keep her standing and steady, until he reached the mark he had made the day before. Swishing his tongue around it, he felt her reaction stiffen her spine, and he couldn't help but suck that tender flesh into his mouth as he freshened the mark he had left and her body spasmed against him. He was gentle, not using nearly the force he had the day before; the mark was still dark, bruising over, and he didn't want to hurt her, merely leave a reminder of the pleasure it brought. Unzipping the tight skirt she wore, he slid it from her hips, helping her step out of it, and then slid his hands over the back of her legs, caressing at the smooth texture behind her knees and massaging the tight muscle of her thigh, fingers stroking the silken skin of her inner thigh as he placed an open-mouth kiss at the very base of her belly.

Tifa was struck by the late morning air on her skin, a sensual, wanton feeling even though she felt vulnerable and exposed. The urge to cover herself, however, was quickly forgotten.

The moist breath on already heated skin weakened Tifa's knees, but Genesis caught her, resting her back on the thick bed of flowers. The press of her body on the colorful blooms brought forth their fragrance and Tifa was distracted by their beauty, rolling her face into their soft petals. Genesis watched her lose herself in her surroundings, moving her slowly, placing her as he wanted her, and then brought her attention back to him with a firm, well placed kiss on the most sensitive of skin. With a sudden indrawn breath, she surged to meet his mouth, and his smile was pure satisfaction and lust as she reached for him with both hands and he opened his mouth to taste her fully.

Fire. It was the only way Tifa could describe it, the intense burning Genesis created as he dabbed his tongue in short teasing licks along her skin, always enough to make her yearn for more, but never quite enough where she needed it most, waiting for that moment when her breathing became frantic, her body writhing at every slight contact as it strained for more, and just short of her sobbing, he closed his mouth over her, tongue lashing slowly, and brought her release forth with a violent, racking sob.

Tifa lay there for long minutes, her body caught in a suspended ecstasy, unable to move, unable to think. Nothing seemed to be functioning right. Even her hearing and eyesight seemed distorted, and when she tried to speak, she couldn't get her mouth to form words. Lifting one hand languidly to her face, covering her eyes with her hand, she realized there were tears rolling down her cheeks, and she managed a short breathy laugh. If these were the kinds of tears Genesis brought her, she wouldn't mind them at all. She became aware of his hands on her thighs, rubbing soothingly and she reached for one of those hands, which met hers, fingers interlocking, clasping tightly.

"You look just as I imagined you."

She rose up to meet him and her hands fell to impatiently fumbling with all that annoying buckles and leather.

"I want to feel you."

He assisted her, standing up on his knees as she did, and no sooner had he cleared the material, she was wrapping herself around him, feelings surfacing and overwhelming her, creating a needy desperation that had nothing to do with physical satisfaction, all of her previously calm patience gone.

Genesis lifted and held her clinging form to him, recognizing the change in her and soothing her with the strength of his body and light kisses pressed into her hair. A gentle sprinkling of rain started to fall over them, drops only slightly cooler than their skin.

She nuzzled into his hair, near his ear, her breath coming ragged as she spoke.

"You asked me what I wanted, Genesis. You said anything, and you would make it so. I know what I want now." She had to know, was compelled to ask this, unable to wait for his cue.

"Tell me." She was trembling in his arms, but pulled back enough so she could look at him, so he could see the glittering tears in her widened eyes.

"I don't want this to end."

"Ah, Love." With his lips, he caught the tear that slipped from her eye as it coursed down her cheek, joining the small raindrops on her skin.

"I just found you, Tifa. I would not so easily let you go." Silently, he reprimanded himself. He had been negligent, assumptive, not speaking of their future beyond this day.

Adjusting her, he easily guided her and slid into the heat of her body, thrusting into her, grinding in slow circles.

"This heat, the feeling of you surrounding me, taking me in. Accepting me. This is what it feels like with you, every moment I'm with you." He made exquisitely careful, passionate love to her, wanting her to understand that the act was symbolic of so much more.

The rain was falling steadier, the sweet perfume of the flowers enriched by the moist scent of the shower. Tifa tangled a hand in Genesis' hair, darkened by the water, clinging to his face, and drew him to her, kissing him with unrestrained fervor.

"I want you to remember this, Tifa." He laid her back on the flowers again, but kept her hips in his grasp, elevated, as he pressed down into her, intensifying the penetration. "Remember what it feels like when I fill you, giving you what you need, what you demand."

Tifa gripped the front of his shirt, searching for something to ground her as his words, spoken deeply, erotically, washed over her. She felt the pressure building within, threatening to snap with each full, measured thrust.

"I can feel your heart beat inside of me," she gasped, and the force of his meaning dawned fully on her.

Genesis kept the strokes even, denying his body, letting the tension wind tighter for both until he felt the first flutter of Tifa's muscles around him. Feathering a hand down over her wet skin, skimming her breasts, he brought it to rest on the mark he had left low on her belly, pinching it lightly as he held her tight against him, and she came undone, her shoulders pushing back into the bed of flowers, pushing her hips up and into him, her mouth open to the rain, panting, gasping, her legs locking him deep in place. Genesis pitched forward as the heat lanced through him, his face coming within inches of Tifa's, their eyes locking, their panting breaths mingling, as he poured into her what he felt might be a tiny piece of his soul.

He brought her with him as he rolled them in the field of blue and red, crushing her to him as the rain continued to fall, hoping this would be enough to last until they were together again.


	18. TellTale Sign

_My warning of the day: Yuffie scares me. Writing Yuffie scares me. I couldn't make make as I perceive her, but I tried for the closest acceptable facsimile. I hope I did it justice. Further, if Yuffie scares me, Cloud terrifies me. Again, I did the best I could with him, and remember I'm not treating him very well in this fic._

_When asked his opinion on this chapter, my PR's response was something like "well, there's no sex...". Yes, that was it. I'm assuming that meant it's still consistent and making sense._

_Thank you for reading and for all the awesome reviews._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Tell-Tale Sign

Edge was a sight Tifa wasn't ready for. She had spent her time on the train trying to come back down to earth. It wasn't easy.

Except for the time she took to change her wet clothes, she had stared out the window of the train, lost in her thoughts, from one station to the next, the entire ride. It had rained most of the way, but by the time they reached the outskirts of Edge, the rain had finally tapered off and the sun was even peeking through in spots.

She had started to cry in Genesis' arms at the station, and the tears still lurked somewhere behind her eyes. She tried to put a positive spin on things. She was returning to her life, but with selfish new hope and happiness she had never felt before; she now had something that was hers, something that made her spirits soar, instead of her always being everyone else's cheerleader. Distance and time wouldn't change that. Genesis had promised, with her pressed to his heart, that he would contact her, and that she would see him again soon.

She wanted to believe that, wanted to be excited about it, but the closer she got to Edge, the more dreamlike her time with him became, and the further that possibility seemed.

The train pulled into the station, and Tifa caught sight of Yuffie waiting on the platform.

Oh, Gaia.

Sometime during the ride, she had decided to check her cell phone, which she hadn't checked, more or less used, since arriving at the inn, and found none less than twenty three phone calls from Yuffie. Tifa had a sneaking suspicion there would have been a lot more if she hadn't run out of memory. The rest of the calls were from various other people looking for her, including a call from Reno, of all people.

Tifa had decided it might be a good idea to call Yuffie before she showed up in Edge. She was sure that it would be a matter of minutes before Yuffie informed everyone else. Of course, once she got Yuffie on the phone, Yuffie had insisted on picking her up at the train station.

Tifa was so not ready for this.

She ran to the tiny bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, checking herself in the mirror. At least her eyes weren't as red and puffy as they had been. She might pass for just being tired.

She had barely stepped off the train when Yuffie pummeled into her, hugging her so tight it hurt.

"Where have you BEEN? I was SO worried! I even called Reno. I was ready to send TURKS looking for you!"

"Yeah, I just got his message," Tifa gasped out. Yuffie finally released her, grabbing her bag from her.

"What do you mean? That was DAYS ago, Tifa! Why didn't you call?"

"Because I needed a break, Yuffie. I had my cell phone turned off."

Yuffie turned on her, pouting, her mouth open to protest, but stopped short suddenly, shock taking over her features.

"Tifa Lockhart!" Tifa knew exactly what she was looking at, with her mouth hanging open like that. "Is that what I think it is?"

Tifa didn't bother looking down, but brushed her fingers over the mark.

"That depends on what you think it is," she answered coyly.

"It looks like a…a…Tifa!" Yuffie's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "It looks like a…love bite." She bit out the last two words as if they were bad words.

"Well, then, it's exactly what you think it is." Her smile was absolutely scandalous.

Yuffie stared at her, eyes growing incredibly wide. There was no whispering this time; Yuffie blurted her outrage loud enough for everyone within twenty feet to hear.

"Oh Great Shiva, Tifa Lockhart! You had SEX!"

Tifa slapped a hand over her eyes, hanging her head. Leave it to Yuffie. Trying to hide behind her hair, she grabbed Yuffie's elbow and started dragging her out to the parking lot.

"Yuffie, I'm not saying another word about this until we're in the truck."

Somehow, though Tifa couldn't say what gods were on her side, Yuffie managed to stay quiet, and they were sitting in the truck going nowhere when Tifa realized Yuffie was sitting behind the wheel staring at her.

"What?" Tifa asked.

"Don't even try to get out of it, Tifa. You had SEX."

"Yeah? So?"

"So?" Yuffie slapped her hand on the steering wheel, managing to bleep the horn. "I didn't even know you were seeing anyone!"

Tifa turned her eyes away. "I never said I was."

Yuffie gasped. "You had a one night stand?"

"I don't know if I'd call it that." She was trying very hard to cover the truth without lying.

"Tifa! What about Cloud?"

And there it was. Yuffie had been holding out hope for Tifa finally getting together with Cloud since he had returned to the church after he defeated Sephiroth. Tifa had finally convinced her to stop harping on it, but hadn't yet managed to put an end to the puppy dog eyes Yuffie exhibited every time Cloud's name came up.

Yuffie bringing it up now made her angry.

"What about Cloud? There is nothing between us but friendship, Yuffie. We've already talked this to death."

There were those eyes again, wide and pleading.

"Even if that's true, Tifa, it's still going to hurt his feelings."

With a sigh, Tifa shook her head, resigned. "I can't help that Yuffie."

Yuffie stared out over the steering wheel for a few minutes and shrugging and shaking off the depressing thoughts started the truck.

"Okay, but you still have to tell me something. What was it like?"

Tifa settled back into the seat, scrunching down and putting her feet up on the dashboard, closing her eyes, and smiling softly.

"It was amazing, Yuffie. I don't even have the words."

* * *

If seeing Yuffie didn't bring Tifa down from her high, the sight of Seventh Heaven certainly did. Her heart sank a little with each step she climbed, and when she opened the door to her room, she was struck by how normal it looked. Nothing had changed, but then why would it?

Yuffie followed her, dropping her bag on the bed, and flouncing down next to it. Before she could start in on the endless third degree again, Tifa decided it might be a good idea if she took control of the conversation.

"Did everything go okay while I was gone?"

Yuffie sat cross-legged on the bed.

"Of course it did, except for us worrying about you."

"Where are Marlene and Denzel?"

"With Barrett, worrying about why you haven't called them."

That was it; Tifa couldn't take it anymore. Between her persistent questions about her mysterious lover and the constant mentions of how she had worried everyone, Tifa had heard enough.

"Yuffie!" So she said the name louder than was necessary; so what if she sounded stressed; so what if Yuffie looked startled. "I'm really tired from the train ride. Can you give it a rest for a while?"

"Sure. You want me to help you unpack?" Tifa knew that wouldn't be the end of it. Yuffie's filters just weren't good enough for that.

"Leave it. I think I need to rest for a while. Do you mind?"

Hopping off the bed with seemingly endless energy, Yuffie gave her a bear hug and made her way to the door.

"You'd think you had enough rest while you were on vacation! I'll let everyone know you're back." Tifa didn't know if that was such a great idea, but the ninja had already closed the door, and it was too much effort to follow her.

She hadn't been lying about being tired. Pulling the bag off the bed and pushing it aside, she climbed onto the bed, and moaned in pleasure at the familiarity of her own pillow. Within a few minutes, she had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

She wasn't sure what woke her. Listening intently, she heard a sound from somewhere in the house, and then the unmistakable sound of footsteps thumping up the stairs, stopping outside her door followed by a loud knock.

"Tifa?"

Cloud. Tifa hadn't even asked Yuffie about Cloud. Considering all his traveling, did he even know that Yuffie had been looking for her? Of all the days for him to be home, it had to be today.

She padded across the floor, the fatigue still wearing at her. She was more tired than she thought. She swung the door open, trying for a smile, not sure she succeeded.

"Hey Cloud. You're home."

He studied her intently. "I guess I could say the same for you. Where the hell have you been?"

Tifa bristled at his tone.

"I was on vacation. I have every right…"

"Not when you worry everyone to…" his voice faded away. He had lowered his gaze as he often did when he spoke, and Tifa had no doubt what he was looking at.

He lifted wide eyes to hers for a long heartbeat, then turned and returned the way he had come without another word.


	19. Forget Me Not

_Believe it or not, it was harder for me to write Tifa's life than it was to pair her with Genesis in the first place. Marlene is also a new character for me, and since this is post DoC, she's older; if she is too far ooc, please let me know. I'm not sure if there's mention of her after AC, so I'm going to write her as if there isn't. _

_Thank you for reading and reviewing. The feedback has been wonderful._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Forget Me Not

It was more difficult than usual getting back into the swing of things. Tifa was distracted, and found she had to constantly refocus herself to get through the little every day things, but within a few days, the distraction had waned to a dull, insistent pain located within the center of her chest that with each heart beat and each second that lapsed reminded her of the time passing in which she heard nothing from Genesis.

This was so out of character for her, to be so needy, so obsessed. Why now? Was it always going to feel like this?

She committed herself to spring cleaning. The bar needed it, as did the living quarters above, especially after her absence. At least the sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, vacuuming, and dragging things around to get to all the cobwebs gave her something to do while she worked out a few answers.

There were, she reasoned, extenuating circumstances leading to her discomfort and insecurity. She had no way of seeing Genesis, or even touching base with him. The distance she felt from him grew with each day, as did the doubt that he would contact her. If it had been anyone else, she could have at least picked up a phone. As it was, she had to deal with it on her own. It wasn't as if she could talk to someone about how she felt. Her affair with Genesis wasn't something she could simply share. At least she got a bit of a smile out of the thought of sitting down with Yuffie and blurting out the truth. 'Yes, Yuffie, I had an affair with a SOLDIER named Genesis. You might have heard of him; he was the one who led Sephiroth to the truth that sent him over the edge.' Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

And, as if to ice an already bitter cake, there was Cloud and the moody silence that accompanied him. It was eerie, and for the first time since she could remember, Cloud seemed to be everywhere Tifa turned, refusing to look at her or speak to her.

Tifa tried to feel bad about it, but the longer it went on, the angrier she got. Was he angry? Embarrassed? Jealous? How ironic that would be; that after all the times she had wanted him to pay attention, he was finally doing just that, in the most negative way, when she no longer wanted it or needed it.

She thought about confronting him, but decided she had enough on her plate without a full blow-out between them, that it might be better to wait for Cloud to mull things over in his own time.

Four days passed. On the fifth day, late in the evening, Tifa returned to the bar from the storage room to find Cloud waiting for her as she walked through the doors, a small box held out in his hand. Tifa put down the crate she was carrying, accepting the box with a quizzical expression.

"It was delivered a few minutes ago."

Tifa examined the address. Nothing but her name, Seventh Heaven, and Edge printed on the front of an envelope that was taped to the box. She was super-conscious of Cloud watching her; how odd it was to get a delivery from someone at the location that Cloud ran his own service out of. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she ripped the envelope open, and removed a folded piece of paper.

Her heart stalled as she recognized the parchment. It was the same type she had found on her nightstand in the inn that morning, and when she opened it, the familiarity of the handwriting was like a warm salve. Unfolding it, keeping her back to the wall, she read the simple note.

"Until you see me again, keep this for me. Thinking of you."

It wasn't signed. It didn't need to be.

Cloud was still looking at her strangely, expectantly, and she could only imagine what he saw in her face. She felt the warmth that had suffused her cheeks draining to leave her feeling pale and, while panic gripped her spine, she tried not to let it show as she scrambled for some legitimate excuse for receiving an unexpected and personal package. Smiling sweetly, she flicked the piece of paper in her hand as if it meant nothing.

"It's just something I left at the inn where I was staying. No big deal, I just couldn't figure out what it was." True, to some extent.

Cloud didn't look like he quite believed her.

"What did you forget?" He asked, his eyes flicking toward the box.

Shrugging, Tifa held up the box and shook it gently, but there was no sound from within.

"I'm not sure. I thought I had everything with me." She turned back the way she had come. "I'm going to go drop this in my room. I'll be right back." Thankfully, he didn't ask her why she didn't open it right then and there.

Tifa raced up the stairs, closing the door behind her and leaning against it as she looked for something to cut through the tape that held the small package closed. Finally punching through it with a pen, she ripped it open, her breathlessness having nothing to do with her climb. Inside was another box, a simple gift box, and she ran her fingers over it before removing it. What could he possibly have sent her to hold? Lifting the lid off, she moved the bit of cotton aside and her fingers lit on the tiny object within, holding it up to flash in the light.

His earring.

It was a tiny token, and she didn't even know if the piece of jewelry meant anything to him, but he knew it would mean something to her.

It meant he was thinking of her. It meant she now had something of his to keep close. And in its own small way, it was a promise that they would, indeed meet again.

Returning to the bar was difficult. Tifa had to compose herself; the butterflies in her stomach had taken off and a giddy, tingling had settled in the center of her chest. She raced down the stairs, her feet hardly touching them, and paused to compose herself before she pushed through the doors into the bar, straightening her hair, running her hands down over her apron.

Fingering the earring that now hung from her ear.

It was like a cold dash of water when she opened the door and found Yuffie waiting for her on the other side of the bar with that "I'm here just to see you" expression on her face.

"Hey Yuffie. Give me a minute."

Tifa made sure everyone at the bar was taken care of, and then followed Yuffie to a table and sat down opposite her.

"What's going on, Yuffie?"

"I came by to see how things are going since you got back. I haven't heard a word from you in nearly a week."

"Yeah, I've been a bit out of it, and trying to catch up."

Yuffie checked their surroundings as if she were worried someone might be listening, and then lowered her voice anyway. Tifa was surprised at her discretion.

"What was in the package?"

Gaping at her, Tifa had to consciously think about it to keep from reaching for the earring. Was Yuffie spying on her?

"How did you know about that?"

Yuffie sat back, smiling. "There's not much you can get past a ninja, Tifa. Besides, Cloud told me when I came in. Said you got something delivered and were upstairs putting it away. So what d'ya get?"

"It was something I got on vacation and forgot. The innkeeper found it and sent it to me."

"That's it?" She looked so disappointed. "Nothing special from your new boyfriend?"

Oh, that was hitting way too close to home.

"Drop it, Yuffie."

"You're hurting his feelings, you know."

Huh?

"Whose feelings, Yuffie? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cloud." She huffed, blowing her bangs up off her forehead, even though they flopped right back into place. "You're hurting…"

"We've had this discussion before, Yuffie. There is nothing between us but friendship. In case you haven't noticed, Cloud is the one who made sure of that."

"Maybe he's changed his mind."

"Yuffie." She rubbed her head with her hands. For so long, she had no personal life to speak of, and now it seemed that her personal life was center stage. She had to make Yuffie understand that it was too late, that she was entitled to change her mind, too.

No. That was wrong. She tried to focus on the tiny light of an idea growing in her mind. She couldn't let Yuffie know that she had moved on, irrevocably. That would confirm that she had something to move on to, and Yuffie would never let go of that bone. The wheels spun so hard, she could almost hear them whirring in her head.

"I don't know, Yuffie. It's all very confusing. But I didn't mean to hurt him. I just can't sit around and wait; I deserve some happiness, too."

Yuffie grabbed onto that as if it were a lifeline.

"Just promise me you won't give up on him."

That stung. Deeply. This had absolutely nothing to do with giving up on Cloud. How could Yuffie ask that? She knew better.

"I never have, and I won't." She did her best to make her smile bright and optimistic, to hide the sad, irony in it. Some day her friends were going to have to learn that Cloud's happiness was not based on her being endlessly devoted to him in an unrequited crush. And they were going to have to learn that her lacking those feelings did not mean she would give up on his happiness.

"Where did you get that?"

It was a surprising change of subject which startled Tifa.

"What?"

"That earring. I've never seen it before. Is it new?"

Tifa realized, too late, that she had been unconsciously rolling the earring between her fingers. She let go of it immediately when Yuffie called her attention to it.

"I got it while I was away."

"You went jewelry shopping? What else did you get?"

"It wasn't like that. I just happened to come across it."

Yuffie giggled girlishly. "And you couldn't resist."

Tifa's eyes lit up as she glanced at Yuffie, and she had to smother the humor of her thought.

"Let's just say it's hard to say no when something is so irresistibly displayed."

She caught sight of Marlene in the doorway, and nodded towards the growing girl, thankful for the distraction. "Looks like it's bedtime." It wasn't really, but Marlene always came down to say goodnight before it got too late. She would go back upstairs and spend another couple of hours reading, doing homework, talking on the phone, and catching up on her diary, which she had become so fond of and guarded fiercely. Marlene had been much kinder about her return than Yuffie or Cloud. Yes, she had wanted to know why Tifa hadn't called, but when Tifa explained, she seemed happy and understanding, and didn't question her further. Denzel had been a little more persistent, but Marlene shushed him, an action that amused Tifa greatly, and led him out of the room. Tifa had the feeling Denzel might be in for a lecture on minding his own business.

She made her way to the door and gave Marlene a hug. She was growing up so fast, and Tifa had the distinct feeling it wouldn't be long before the boys were knocking on the door asking for her.

"You going to be okay tucking yourself in?"

Marlene turned the 'don't be silly, I'm not a baby' expression on high.

"Of course." She paused, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "You'll still come in later to check on me, though, won't you?" Ah, not as grown up as she would like to appear.

"You know I will. Good night."

"Good night, kiddo," Yuffie chimed in. Marlene wrinkled her nose at Yuffie's choice of endearments.

"I am _not_ a kid. Are we still going shopping tomorrow?"

The phone rang by the bar, and Tifa went to pick it up as Yuffie and Marlene went up the stairs talking about what stores they wanted to visit. Yuffie had finally found someone who loved to shop as much as she did. Cloud beat her to the phone, but a few seconds later hung up.

"Wrong number?"

"I guess," he shrugged, beginning to wipe the counter down. "They didn't say anything." The phone rang again, and Cloud picked it up once more, hanging it up just as quickly, but with a distinctly irritated click. On the next ring, Tifa put out a hand to forestall Cloud from decimating the phone, and lifted the receiver from the wall.

"Seventh Heaven. Can I help you?"

There was a slight pause and then a familiar voice sent a zing of electricity straight through her.

"I needed to hear your voice."


	20. A Girl's Day Out

_For those who might not know, I've been plagued with writer's block, particularly with my chapter fics. I think (really, really hope) I'm past it. If it makes you feel better about the delayed update, all my chapter fics have been obnoxiously delayed. It doesn't help that I can't wait to have Genesis BACK. So writing the necessary story around it isn't coming as naturally as I'd like it to. _

_Some more of Yuffie and Marlene in this chapter; again, I hope I'm getting their characters right. Please forgive me (and let me know!) if I missed a pagebreak! I seem to be good at that. Missing them, that is._

_Thank you for being patient, reading, and reviewing! Your feedback is much appreciated! And a special thank you to Mischievous Crystal for helping me with checking my ffvii facts._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

A Girl's Day Out

The ripple of pleasure that raced through Tifa's body stunned her speechless long enough to realize the curious expression on Cloud's face as he studied her.

"Tifa? Are you all right?"

Genesis' question snapped her out of her trance.

"Oh. Yes. Much better now," she whispered into the receiver as Cloud turned away, called away by a customer at the far end of the bar. It gave her the opportunity to pull the phone around the corner for a bit more privacy.

Gaia, this was going to be complicated.

"I got it," she exclaimed in a rush. "The package you sent. I'm wearing it now."

His low laughter touched her, even over the line.

"I thought you might. It is the first of other reminders, other thoughts of you."

Tifa swung around to glance through the door and nearly crashed into Cloud. The phone slipped from her fingers and he caught it, pulling it close to him for a moment as if considering something, but then holding it out to her.

Wide-eyed, Tifa's tongue seemed to be paralyzed as she took the phone back and pressed it to her ear, emitting a small squeak. As quiet as it was, Genesis must have heard.

"You have to go."

Tifa managed to blurt out a "yes".

"Until next time, then, Love. I miss you."

And the connection clicked into silence.

She had to think, act, say something, do something. Cloud's serious gaze had her locked in place and then it drifted down to her waist, as if that mark were still visible, and then away.

Anger made Tifa bite her lip to keep from saying anything. It didn't matter what Cloud might have heard; it was none of his business. It occurred to her then that she didn't need to explain anything. To anyone. All she had to do was keep her personal business private.

* * *

It had been a long night. Even though Tifa had come to a resolve of sorts, her nerves had been worn thin, first by Yuffie, and then by Cloud. She woke the next morning fully intending to do something to take her mind off of things. Marlene bounding past her door gave her the perfect distraction.

"Marlene? Are you still going shopping today with Yuffie?"

Marlene reappeared long enough to hang in the door and answer.

"Yeah. Want to come?"

"If it's okay with you."

Marlene smiled, a wonderful expression that Tifa appreciated as she hadn't seen nearly enough of it in Marlene as a child.

"Of course not. But get ready; Yuffie'll be here any second, and you know how she hates to wait."

How ironic, Tifa thought with a wry grin. Yuffie certainly thought nothing of making others wait for her.

As it turned out, they did end up waiting for Yuffie. Tifa rushed to get ready and met Marlene downstairs, who had already been waiting for half an hour, and it was an hour more before Yuffie came bounding in the door, completely oblivious to the fact that she was late.

They set out, and Tifa enjoyed the distraction, even though she wasn't looking for anything in particular. Marlene and Yuffie were amusing to watch, and they went out of their way to entertain Tifa, who found their antics in a hat store particularly cute as they tried on various styles. The two of them were boundless with their energy, though, and by the time lunch rolled around, Tifa was more than ready to take a break and sit for a while.

She was enjoying her lunch when the door swung open, and a flash of red caught her eye. She gasped, nearly choking on the bit of salad she had been chewing. When she finished coughing, Yuffie pounding on her back, she covertly glanced at the man who had entered, both relieved and disappointed to find it wasn't who she had thought it might be.

"Tifa!" Marlene was holding a glass of water out to her, and she took it gratefully, sipping slowly.

"Thank you," she whispered once she got a bit of her voice back.

The man who was wearing the red jacket had taken a seat within Tifa's view, and on second inspection, he couldn't be any further from Genesis if he tried, with a shorter, stockier build and dark hair.

"So, Tifa," Yuffie started, and, simply from her tone, Tifa knew that this was going to be bad. "Have you told Marlene about your new_ lover_?"

Gaia! Worse than she had thought, and Yuffie eyes were gleaming with mischief, and Marlene was staring at Tifa with an intense curiosity, eager for the latest gossip.

What was that about keeping her personal business private?

Sipping more water as a stall, she tried for nonchalance.

"I don't know what the big deal is. I met a guy when I was away. It was just a couple of dates."

"Ah," Yuffie responded, her voice thick with sarcasm. "So dating is what they're calling it now-a-days, huh?"

Marlene was looking back and forth between the two. Tifa wondered if Marlene would think it strange if she stood up and simply knocked Yuffie out cold.

"Is that true?" Marlene asked Tifa. Well, at least Marlene was asking for confirmation from the source rather than take Yuffie's word for it.

Yuffie wrapped an arm around Marlene's shoulder as if she were going to share a secret.

"They had _sex_!" She waggled her eyebrows, winking at Tifa.

"Why don't you just take out a billboard, Yuffie?" Tifa suggested, and then bit her tongue. With Yuffie's connections, that wasn't impossible.

Hiccupping as she giggled, Yuffie clapped her hands.

"I can just see it now! Tifa Lockhart and her mystery man, with a huge picture of the happy couple splashed in the background." And just like that, she was serious. "Hey, what does our mystery man look like, anyway?"

Tifa wondered; would it be giving too much away if she blurted out Genesis' real description? Well, Yuffie, he's a tall, gorgeous red-head, with piercing blue eyes, who used to be SOLDIER First Class and was friends with Sephiroth.

No, maybe not, but what a reaction it might get.

"I'm not talking about it, Yuffie, and that's that."

"Well, I think it's wonderful," Marlene interjected.

Yuffie almost choked on her soda.

"You're kidding me!"

Marlene studied Yuffie questioningly, then Tifa.

"No, I'm not kidding. Tifa deserves to have fun. She's an adult, on vacation. What's wrong with getting swept away if that's what you want?"

Tifa leaned over and hugged Marlene.

"Thank you, Marlene." Of course, now all she could wonder was if Marlene had ever gotten swept away.

"What are you talking about Marlene? What about Cloud?"

Marlene blew a breath out and waved Yuffie away.

"There was a time, a long time ago, I thought it might happen, Yuffie, but I don't know anymore." She sounded a bit sad, but not overly so. "And even if it still might eventually happen, what is Tifa supposed to do in the meantime? Sit around and twiddle her thumbs. Besides, it's not as if that's what Cloud's doing."

"_WHAT?_" Yuffie blurted.

Oh, now this was interesting.

"Oh, please. I saw him with someone just the other day, and trust me, it was much more than friendly."

"How much more than friendly?" Yuffie questioned, clearly taken aback.

"_Much_ more. As in friends don't kiss like that."

Tifa wondered where Marlene had seen this. Hoping Cloud wasn't careless enough to bring someone home, she wanted to ask, but swallowed the question. Yuffie wondered how she had missed this, and she said as much.

Marlene smiled knowingly, proud, obviously, to be one of the first in the know for once.

"It wouldn't have been anywhere you would have seen it, but, you know, if you really want the scoop on things, you should talk to Reno more often."

Tifa was stunned speechless. How did Marlene even _know_ Reno? She might have known of him, but know him well enough to be dishing dirt? She was definitely going to have to follow up on this. Marlene, however, called their attention to a street performer that was just out on the sidewalk, effectively changing the subject as she took a bite out of her sandwich.

* * *

After finishing their lunch, Tifa was now distracted by much more than she had been before they left. There was Yuffie's unwillingness to let the whole 'Cloud/Tifa forever' idea drop, Marlene's bombshell about a certain acquaintance, and, hanging over all of that, her thoughts of Genesis, which were heated and more than pleasant, and a concern that her thoughts of him were going to drive her to paranoia. As if to confirm her unease, as they left the little café, there was another flash somewhere down the street that grabbed her attention. This time, using the excuse that she wanted to back-track and look at something, but insisting they move on and agreeing to meet them at the end of the street, she headed off to make certain she might not be imagining things. Twice more, she was drawn to a red flash in the crowd, always just beyond clarity and always gone when she arrived. When she came across a little girl wearing a bright red coat, she gave up the hunt, returning to join Yuffie and Marlene as it became abundantly clear that she couldn't go through life thinking every flash of red might be Genesis.

They continued shopping throughout the afternoon, visiting and raiding two more clothing stores, three shoe stores, and, because Yuffie insisted, an intimates store that had Tifa blushing from one end to the other while, at the same time, certain items caught her eye and had her daydreaming what a certain someone's reaction might be to them.

By the time Yuffie delivered them back to Seventh Heaven, it was past dark, and Tifa was ready to collapse. While Yuffie and Marlene chose to raid the fridge for a quick dinner, Tifa wasn't even hungry. All she wanted was to dive into bed and fall blissfully asleep.

Dragging herself up the stairs with the couple of bags of items she had purchased for herself, she had made it to her bedroom door when she became aware of the fresh and familiar scent of cologne.

She glanced back down the stairs and then down the hallway, even taking a few steps past her door, heart thudding in her chest.

The bathroom door opened down the hall, letting out a cloud of steam as well as Cloud himself, flinging water from his hair as he shook his head, a towel securely knotted at his hip. He stopped short when he caught sight of Tifa.

"Sorry. I didn't realize anyone was home."

Cloud had just triggered two of Tifa's pet peeves; first, he wasn't even partially dressed, and second, he was dripping water all over the place. Tifa had, in the past, had it out with him on more than one occasion about the mess he left in the bathroom and the hall, but, more importantly, she didn't want him walking around wrapped in a towel, or, worse, naked (as had been the case once). Like Marlene needed to catch him like that. And what kind of example was it for Denzel?

She couldn't very well blame Cloud for his undressed state; after all, he had been alone. And as for the water, she had already forgotten about it.

She approached him slowly, almost afraid to ask, unable to restrain herself.

"Cloud? What kind of cologne are you wearing?"

He was clearly surprised, drawing back slightly with a questioning expression.

"I'm not wearing any cologne, Tifa."

"You're not?" She backed up as well, now as confused as he, sniffing at the air, certain of the scent that lingered, fainter now.

Cloud was looking at her strangely again. She shrugged and shook her head, dismissing it. Probably just her imagination.

"It's probably just the soap you used. Good night."

"'Night, Tifa." He didn't sound entirely convinced. She didn't care.

Opening her door, Tifa dropped the bags by the door, kicked off her shoes and pulled off her blouse and dropped onto the bed.

Only to scramble out of it a few seconds later in a panic as some unknown substance tickled at her skin. What the hell was on the bed? Reaching frantically for the light she had chosen to leave off, she flicked the switch and froze, the butterflies that took off in her stomach effectively making it so she couldn't breathe, and stood staring at the thick layer of red and blue blossoms, so familiar, stamped in her memory forever, their fragrance nearly as fresh as that day in the field, and lingering with it was that light scent of cologne she had nearly convinced herself she was imagining.

Searching the room, she found the window slightly ajar, but nothing else out of place, and no other indication of her visitor.

Taking an extra minute to remove the rest of her clothes, and leaving the window open, Tifa turned the light out, curled up in the soft bed, letting the blossoms tickle and caress her bare skin, and fell asleep, knowing full well who would possess her dreams as she slept.


	21. Strangers in the Night

_I should make a short note on the timeline of this story, if I haven't already done so. When I originally started, I think I said it started sometime during DoC. I don't know what I was thinking. It's definitely POST DoC, if that isn't obvious from the fact that Genesis doesn't make a reappearance until the very end. (which, by the way, I think he should get his own game now, but I don't know that he was that popular.) That being said, let me address the issue with age in here. If you haven't already figured it out, I totally ignored the ages of all the characters. *smiles* Although I did try to keep them in a vague perspective to the game. The one exception, as it's going to become clear here, is Marlene. When I first started writing her in this, I figured her somewhere in her early to mid-teens, still young enough to be babied a bit, but old enough to be angsty about it, and that's what I'm going with. I realize that this is older than she would have been in canon (in which she is supposedly six during Advent Children, which would put her at what, eleven here?), but I'm still going with it, because she didn't strike me as a six year old in Advent Children, so I figure I can stretch it for a couple of years._

_Edit: (I so should have put this here before!) A huge thank you to rageofloki, who was a bit perplexed by my request to rp Genesis for me, but who wrote the haiku I requested anyway. I do poetry on occasion, but this one is not mine.  
_

_For reading and all the wonderful reviews you leave, thank you so much._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Strangers in the Night

Tifa woke from a light doze, staring into the darkness, unable to identify the time. It felt as if she might have just fallen asleep, but it could have been hours.

In any case, the bar was closed. And she had locked up.

Hadn't she?

There shouldn't be any noise from downstairs. Even Cloud was quieter than that when he came in from a late night run.

For a stunned moment, she wondered if Genesis would try to enter the building through the bar, but then common sense returned. No, Genesis wouldn't be that direct, even as bold as he was. She had a feeling that when he did finally make an appearance, it would be as if out of thin air, and she would never suspect.

So what was that noise?

Burglars? Whoever it was certainly wasn't making much of a secret of the fact that they were down there, so if they were thieves, they weren't doing a very good job of it. Cloud? Maybe. It's possible something had happened and he couldn't help the noise he was making. Even so, she didn't want to barge in on him, make it appear that she was checking up, for a variety of reasons, so she debated on whether to look into the noise.

On alert now, she heard the door open on the ground floor, and through her open window a voice, definitely masculine, drifted up on the night air. It wasn't Cloud, she was sure of that, yet it was somehow familiar. She just couldn't place it.

Edging to the window, she slipped the curtain back just enough to see what was going on. Down below, she could make out the shape of the person who was talking, but the shadow obscured them just enough for her not to be able to identify the person. But that voice was so familiar. He stepped to the left, and for a bare second, the light from the open doorway illuminated a flash of red.

Tifa's breath caught. It couldn't be.

But no, on second thought, the red was too dark, the hair too long, and although the man was tall, he didn't have nearly the height or stature of Genesis.

She slapped a hand to her mouth to keep from hissing the name.

Reno.

What was he doing here? And who was he talking to?

Into her mind slipped the conversation she had earlier that week with Marlene and Yuffie. Oh, no. Reno was _not_ there to see Marlene. She'd march right down there and rip his hair out by that ponytail if that were the case. Simply the thought made her bristle with anger. About to turn from the window in the heat of anger, she caught the flicker of reflected light from further along the street, and her eyes adjusted to find another figure hulking in the shadows not far from Reno. Rude, her mind played out logically, and then made another leap that if Reno were there to see Marlene in the middle of the night, Rude wouldn't be invited to the party. In fact, she was pretty sure that if that were truly Reno's purpose, he wouldn't use the front door any more than Genesis would.

She paused to listen again, and finally, she heard the third voice, soft and abrupt. Cloud. Okay. So why were Reno and Rude talking to Cloud? And from Reno's casual stance, there wasn't, currently, any animosity, and whatever business they had, Cloud hadn't sent them packing yet. What the hell was going on?

She waited, desperate to hear what they were talking about, but unable to pick up anymore than the hint of their voices. Finally, Reno slinked down the street, Rude falling into step behind him, and Tifa threw on her robe as she raced out of the room to confront Cloud about their late night company.

She didn't have far to go. He was half way up the flight of stairs as she reached the top step, and at her appearance, he stopped to look up at her, confusion clear in his bright eyes.

"What are you doing up, Tifa? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Actually, no she didn't. She hadn't the time to check before she flew out of her room. But she didn't bother with that explanation.

"The noise woke me. What's going on, Cloud?"

He took a couple of steps higher, still keeping his gaze on her.

"I don't know what you mean. I just came in from a job. I tried to be quiet. I hadn't realized I made that much noise."

There had been many things over the years Cloud had not shared with her, not confided in her, but lying outright wasn't something she had expected from him.

"Oh," Tifa responded simply. "And Reno and Rude? Were they helping you out with your deliveries? Or were you helping them?" It sounded horrible, but the thoughts that were swirling around in her head regarding Cloud, along with her anger at his recent behavior, were making her impatient and short-tempered. Not to mention, slightly sarcastic.

At least he had the grace to flinch at the mention of the Turks, and now he wasn't making eye contact with her anymore.

"I didn't want to tell you they stopped by, Tifa. I didn't want you to worry."

"Yeah? Well now I'm worried, so tell me what's going on."

His shoulders dropped a miniscule notch. If she hadn't known him so well, or been so intent on him at the moment, she might not have noticed, but there it was. Whatever had happened, he didn't like it, but he wasn't upset enough to be completely put out.

"They wanted to enlist my help with Shinra again."

Tifa drew back slightly, shocked. The last time Shinra had asked for Cloud's help, they had been weak, having taken an enormous blow. But in the meantime, they had rebuilt their resources; even the ranks of the Turks were once again on the rise.

What would they need Cloud for?

"For what?"

Shrugging, he climbed the rest of the way up the stairs so he was standing next to her on the landing.

"I don't know. They weren't very specific. I think they were sending out feelers, trying to find out if I would be interested. All they said was that Shinra might be facing a problem soon, and that Rufus would like to know that I would be willing backup if the need arose."

"That's all they said?"

"Pretty much."

Tifa studied his profile.

"Do you have any idea?"

He seemed to genuinely think on that.

"Not really, and I'm not sure they knew."

Oh, they knew. Tifa had no doubt of that. Would they be sneaky enough to not let Cloud in on a major piece of the information? Damn betcha.

"Any guesses?"

"After Deep Ground? I'm not even going to try. Who knows what kinds of monsters Shinra still have lurking in their closets." He started down the hall. "I gotta get some sleep. Night."

After wishing him good night, and back in the safety of her own room, Tifa puzzled over the night's events, but could make no more sense of it than Cloud had. She wished her bed were still graced with fragrant flowers, but that had been nearly a week ago, and she hadn't heard a word from Genesis since. Finally, she settled back into her pillows, but as she willed her body to relax into sleep, another troubling thought resurfaced.

She really was going to have to talk to Marlene about her acquaintance with Reno. She wasn't going to rest well until she had a better understanding of what that was all about.

* * *

Morning came all too soon. Tifa had been right; she hadn't slept well at all, but rather kept startling awake after fits of sleep. Dragging herself into the kitchen, she groaned at the sunlight streaming through the window as she poured a cup of coffee. Marlene burst into the room, smiling brightly when she saw Tifa, and digging eggs out of the refrigerator.

"Sleep well?" She asked brightly. Tifa's brow lowered as she observed the teenager.

"I've slept better, but the coffee's helping." She watched as Marlene prepared her own breakfast, and in a matter of minutes was sitting down to eat her scrambled eggs and toast. Tifa sat down at the table next to her. She wasn't sure she wanted to see Marlene's face when she asked this.

"I have a question, Marlene," she warned, staring intently into the ripples within her mug.

Mouth full, Marlene nodded.

"How do you know Reno?"

Marlene nearly choked as she swallowed. Tifa didn't take that as a good sign, and the answer that followed a sip of orange juice was too vague for Tifa's liking.

"Doesn't everyone know Reno?"

"No," Tifa shook her head. "Everyone does _not_ knowReno. They know _of _Reno. There's a difference."

Marlene waved that away. "Not when he was involved in saving my life once upon a time."

Tifa turned to her, trying to see in her face what was absent from her words.

"So how did you meet him after that?"

Marlene was blushing. That wasn't a good sign either.

"I ran into him one day in Edge. Well, not literally, but there he was and I was curious. There are so many stories about him, and I couldn't help but wonder if even half of them were true, and we just…started talking."

Tifa ran that over in her mind a couple of times. It certainly didn't sound like anything terrible, and Marlene's curiosity made sense, but then why the rosy cheeks and why in Gaia would Reno bother to entertain the conversation?

Tifa didn't want to be having this conversation with Marlene, but she couldn't imagine the outcome if Barrett had to.

"How well do you know him?"

The flush on her face deepened.

"We're…friends."

"Do you like him?"

Marlene had stopped eating, and her discomfort at the line of questioning was turning into something more defensive.

"What if I do? I'm allowed to choose my own friends."

She didn't know to what extent, but that was as much a yes as Tifa needed.

"Yes, you can. I just want you to be careful. Reno is a Turk. He's…dangerous, and he can't be trusted."

Marlene pushed back from the table, and stood up, leaving half her food on her plate.

"People can change, Tifa. I thought you knew that."

"I can't help but be concerned, Marlene."

She was already at the doorway when she turned back. "I know, Tifa, and I love you for it, but I'm not a little girl anymore. You have to let me decide these things for myself."

Not a little girl, no, Tifa thought, but not nearly old enough. And what was Reno thinking? Tifa stared after her, not really any clearer on what she had wanted to find out, and wondered, not for the first time, how she had missed all this.

A knock on the downstairs door drew her out of her thoughts, and she navigated the stairs to answer it. A man she didn't recognize stood there, holding an envelope in his hand.

"Tifa Lockhart?"

"Yes?"

He extended the envelope and she took it, her heart hammering as she noted the handwriting on the front.

"Special delivery, ma'am."

He refused a tip, saying it had all been taken care of, and when she was alone again, she opened the envelope carefully, peeking at the contents before drawing them out.

There was one piece of paper, folded in three. She held her breath, unable to contain the smile as she read the words on the center fold:

Flowers in the field,

Glorious in their beauty,

Remind me of you.

Opening the paper, she found a simple hand-drawn map with a date and time imprinted on the bottom. Nothing more, but she didn't need anything more.

* * *

_A/N: As you can see, we're getting close to the point where the one-shots would have occurred, although "Secrets" spans this entire fic up till now. We should see a whole lot more Genesis and Tifa in the next chapter, but you've probably already guessed that. Hopefully, I will be updating sooner now; the creative flow is back for now, and I have some down-time. So far it's boding well for my writing._


	22. Illicit Rendezvous

_This chapter rated M for erotic content. (and edited because I can't SPELL!)_

_Thank you for reading and for all the feedback and encouragement. _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic _

Illicit Rendezvous

If someone had told Tifa how difficult it would be to get out of Seventh Heaven without being noticed, she wouldn't have believed it. It seemed, lately, that Cloud wasn't working. In fact, it seemed as if all he did lately was lurk around corners. She was constantly running into him when she least expected it.

As if that weren't enough, Marlene also seemed to be popping up when least expected, often times with Yuffie in tow. It was starting to seriously wear at Tifa's nerves, and she kept checking the note that Genesis had sent her and wondering how she was going to make this happen.

What would happen if she couldn't? What would Genesis think? Would he wait? Would he understand? Would he assume it was because she couldn't get away? Or would he assume that second thoughts had overpowered her? She distracted herself with obsessive cleaning as, not for the first time, she fumed at the fact that she had no way to contact him; it would certainly come in handy right about now.

Marlene drifted by in the hallway, just at the corner of Tifa's vision. Tifa's Marlene radar was in high gear. Without even trying, she had become acutely aware of the girl's activities, to the point where she might have begun to feel self-conscious about it if she hadn't noticed a few new and interesting things. Like Marlene didn't always go to bed when she said she would. On its own, that wouldn't have been such an issue, but then Tifa discovered that Marlene wasn't necessarily keeping to her room after hours. Nor was she being very forthcoming on her activities, where previously she had told Tifa practically every detail of every minute. Tifa wanted to trust Marlene, to believe that even if she were not following the rules, she had her share of common sense, but it was getting more difficult by the hour. To top that, she was dreading Barrett's phone call, or worse, his return. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep his daughter's strange behavior to herself, but she couldn't figure how she would tell him. And if she had to throw Reno's name into the explanation, there were going to be some major fireworks, and not in a good way. No, she was going to have to find out more about that first.

She finished with the floor she was scrubbing and checked the clock. If she only had a gil for every time she had done that today. It felt as if time had slowed to a crawl, and there had been one point where Tifa could have sworn she saw the hand on the clock move backwards. Fortunately, the imminent hour was now, at last, approaching.

It was tricky, figuring out the best way to do this. Should she try to fake everyone out? Sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and hope that no one would notice? Or should she just claim she was going for a walk, with the hope that no one would volunteer to go with her? She managed to drop the soap three times and knock the shampoo bottle down twice in frustration as she debated her options, knowing full well that she was over-thinking everything, and that would lead to her acting more suspiciously than she already was.

As much as she would have liked to dress up, she chose simple clothes. Whatever else it looked like, she certainly couldn't appear dressed for a date.

Finally she decided to simply walk out the door. After all, why did she need to explain this to anyone? Squaring her shoulders, she stepped out in the hall, closed her door, and turned, emitting a loud squawk as she practically plowed into Cloud, who grunted nearly as loud.

"Gaia, Cloud. Make some noise or something."

He met her eyes briefly, nodding before turning away. Tifa was nearly to the stairs, thinking it had all been easier than she anticipated, before Cloud burst her bubble.

"Where are you going, Tifa?"

Easy does it, she reminded herself as she blinked slowly and tried to swallow against a suddenly dry throat, turning as casually as possible.

"I'm going out for a while." She tried for a warm, reassuring smile. "I'll probably be back late. Goodnight Cloud." She made about six steps before his next words froze her in mid-step.

"Are you going to see him?"

She didn't turn this time. She couldn't. Was it possible Cloud knew?

"Who?" The word grated out, despite her conscious effort to maintain control.

There was a slight pause as she waited for the answer, which she found relieving in a twisted way. It proved that maybe, just maybe, Cloud knew how out of line he was. She really wanted the next words out of his mouth to be 'never mind' or 'forget it'. She might be able to merely walk away if that were the case.

"Whoever…" He paused again, and Tifa knew he was rethinking how he was going to phrase his words. "…you were seeing when you were away?"

Somewhere in the depths of her mind, Tifa felt something give way with a soft, dull snap. Turning back on the stairs, looking up at him as if they were on equal ground, she took a step up.

"You mean the man I slept with? Isn't that what you meant to say?" It sounded cold and cruel, brutal in its honesty, but it was past time for a dose of truth. She yanked at the hem of her shirt and pulled the waist of her jeans down a bit to expose a patch of skin which was left with no visible evidence, but still burned exquisitely when she touched it, the physical memory remaining intact.

"Or did you mean to say the man who marked me?" Her questions were punctuated with a step up as she ascended towards him, and an answering flinch in response.

She wanted to lecture him. She wanted to ask him where he got off passing judgment on her. She wanted to point out that he didn't own her and had no right to his jealousy. She wanted to point out that sharing a house when he happened to be around did not make a relationship. She wanted to point out how there might have been a chance for them once, but not any longer.

What came out wasn't what she expected to say at all.

"You know, from what rumors I've heard, Cloud, you're in no position to throw stones."

Oh Gaia. That just sounded…spiteful. Tifa felt heat flood her face as she realized he might see her actions as jealous and vindictive.

Cloud, however, apparently didn't see it that way at all. He retreated as if he had been stung, the hurt and shock in his expression painful to witness. Extending a hand out in front of him, he averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry. You're right, Tifa. I shouldn't have…I'm sorry." His voice was whisper thin, and Tifa was almost ready to apologize, but when he turned and walked away, she let him, maintaining her silence.

Down the stairs, Yuffie and Marlene were sitting at a table in the center of the closed, empty bar. With the dim light, Tifa hoped to simply slip by the pair, their heads bowed together as they spoke softly, but just as she would have passed out of sight, Yuffie's voice floated across the room to her.

"Sneaking out, Tifa?"

Tifa backed up the step it took to bring them back in sight, eyeing them, still bristling from her encounter with Cloud.

"Sneaking out, Yuffie, would be climbing out the window in the middle of the night. Or waiting until everyone was asleep before slinking down the stairs." She doubted either Yuffie or Marlene missed the direction of her gaze as she spoke. Rankled and not wanting to deal with anymore interruptions, she gave them as much excuse as she was going to make before they could pursue her comment. "I'm going out. Don't wait up."

She walked fast, closing the door behind her as she left with perhaps a bit too much force. She kept her pace, zigzagging a route through Edge, checking her surroundings often to make sure she was not being followed, until she found the landmark that was indicated at the beginning of Genesis' map. From their, she followed his directions, picking her way in the half moonlight as she navigated the foothills carefully. She found the cave he had indicated, the end of her trail, and waited, unsure what to do. Could this be the wrong place? Even if she had misread the directions, what was the possibility she would end up…

There was the slightest sound from within the cave, the barest breath of movement, and a second later, a shadow materialized from the darkness within.

It had been nearly a month. In the grand scheme of things, a month wasn't an entirely long time, but Tifa was caught in a strange combination of emotions. Her mind and body ached with the physical memory of their encounters as if they had just occurred, and yet it felt as if it had been years since she had seen him, and swirling through the mix was emotion and heat that was as strong as the first time she had seen him. She willed her feet to move, to get her closer to him, but her muscles refused her, and she stood, swaying slightly, at a complete loss for words.

Genesis stopped as the scant moonlight caught his face, lit upon his hair as if it were burnished ruby. The sharp glow of his eyes was from an entirely different source, and tonight, the pale blue seemed darker, more intense in the half light. His arms were bare, minus the duster, and he seemed perfectly at his ease.

"You got my message."

Tifa tried to control the bobble of her head, and succeeded only in snapping her mouth shut.

"I missed you." He didn't come closer, he didn't beckon for her. What was he waiting for?

Tifa swallowed unsuccessfully at the lump of muteness that had taken over her throat as she managed to take one wobbly step closer.

Genesis turned his attention off into the night, lifting his face to the sky as if he felt the caress of darkness against his skin.

"It's a beautiful evening. We couldn't have chosen better." He turned back to her, lips lifted in a half-smile, humor dancing in his eyes as he observed another shaky step.

"I visited Minna before I left. She misses you. She asked me to find out when you would visit again."

Within arm's reach, Tifa came to a halt, wondering how he could be so calm, how he could carry on about everyday goings-on when she had to concentrate to keep breathing.

"Genesis?" It was the only thing she could manage, and as the name rolled off her lips, she was swept against him, crushed within an embrace that eliminated any breath of space between them.

"You would think, Love, that those five steps were a mile," he gasped into her hair, and then pulled back only far enough to let his mouth meet hers voraciously.

Seventh Heaven, friends, air, gravity; it all melted away, overtaken by his body pressed to hers, the sensation of his tongue filling her mouth, caressing along hers as his hands and arms clasped her closer, the taste of him, exotic and wicked, the scent of him filling her, leather, sun-kissed skin, a hint of cologne. Reality had faded away and Tifa let it, claiming this moment for her own.

Genesis lifted her, and her body adjusted naturally to cling to him in the most convenient way, her arms and legs wrapping nearly painfully around him, and when he adjusted her so he could walk with her in his arms, she was completely pliant. Her passion still astounded him, how accepting she was, how eager, but his own need was even more astonishing. There hadn't been a moment during their separation when he hadn't thought of her. Sleeping and awake, she had consumed his dreams and consciousness to the point of distraction, until there was nothing he could do but take the risk of trying to see her. He still worried his presence so near Edge would be detected, but as he carried her through the well hidden, long forgotten entrance to an old Shinra outpost, the depth of his emotion made it entirely worth the risk. He staggered as he walked, leaning heavily against the wall as she slithered against him, nipping at his lips and chin, pushing his head up and panting over the softer skin there, a delicious tease that was surprisingly erotic. Her teeth sinking delicately into the tendon where neck and shoulder met elicited a low, breathy growl from him, which she answered with a hum of insatiable hunger as she pulled the tender bit of skin and muscle into her mouth, laving it with her tongue.

Tifa's focus had narrowed down to include only one thing: Genesis. She didn't know where he was taking her and didn't actually care. As far as she was concerned, he could take her right there against the wall he was leaning on. Being able to touch him again stoked her emotions to fever pitch, and she hadn't felt this alive since they had last been together.

He was moving again, crashing through a door and then down onto a soft surface, turning to catch them both, leaving Tifa straddled above him. She took advantage of the position, pushing his sweater up and off and ripping at the buckles, buttons, and zippers at his waist and pushing the material down until she couldn't go further without moving. Sliding from the bed to her knees before him, she yanked at his boots so she could wrestle the pants off, and then climbed back up his body as agilely as she had slipped away, trailing her lips along his skin until she met his mouth again, her hands already busy helping him with her own clothing, which presented their own complications. The blouse was no issue, but she nearly screamed in frustration at her jeans, which she had chosen out of practicality for the nighttime walk through Edge. Genesis answered her silent plea for help, lifting her easily so she could slide the material from her hips, and she wriggled out of them from there.

Her constant movement, the way she was rubbing against him, the edgy desire between them, was quickly testing Genesis' limits, but Tifa had no intention of leaving him wanting. Kneeling above him again, she met his gaze as her hips sank unerringly to meet his, her body drawing him in, melting down around him even as it grasped him in tight, pulsing heat. His head rolled back as his body bucked up, his guttural cry at the impact of the deep penetration joining Tifa's wordless exclamation. The seamless, rolling rhythm they picked up changed quickly as her fingers curled into his waist and hips, greedily trying to draw him deeper as he rose to meet her demands. Deeper, shorter, the thrusts became punctuated, nearly violent, and Genesis looked up to find Tifa in the thralls of erotic overdose, skin flushed, eyes burning brightly beneath lids half lowered, mouth open to gasp for breath, body shivering in pleasure. Smoothing his hands over the curves of her waist, he cupped her breasts in his hands, that simple pressure bringing her hands to his wrists to hold him there as she leaned down into him. Her head dropped forward, hair hiding her face, when he circled his thumbs over the swollen nipples, and her body throbbed around his length as a deep tremble rolled through her body in thick waves. Weaving one hand through her hair, he pushed the strands back from her face, drawing her eyes back to him as he drew her closer, letting her watch as his lips brushed the barest kiss over one breast before taking it deeply into his mouth and rasping his tongue over the over-sensitized peak. Her reaction was immediate and volatile, her muscles tightening rhythmically with every swipe of his tongue, accented by the intentional hard grind of his hips, a low-pitched whine starting deep in her throat and winding up until the pressure burst from her in a harsh, passionate cry as her body seized, constricting around him, holding him immobile in its grip as his body surrendered, his orgasm nearly painful in its intensity.

Tifa hung suspended above him a moment before collapsing against him, spent. Genesis fought the lethargy in his arms to circle them around her, enjoying the sensation of their bodies calming together, matching each other in this as they had in the escalating passion. Hands ghosting over her back, he felt her skin cooling and rolled to his side, rearranging slightly so he could pull the blanket over them. She snuggled into the warmth of the blanket and the heat of his body and nestled her head against his chest.

"I missed you," she stated softly. It was more than that, but that was the easiest way to say it.

"I couldn't stay away," he responded.

Tifa tilted her head so she could see his face clearly; see the sincerity in his expression.

"I can't tell you how happy I am you didn't."

"Was returning to Edge difficult?"

"More than you know."

He felt a tension fill her that hadn't been there before, a part of her, perhaps, that had been pushed aside and ignored in the excitement of their reunion.

"Will you tell me?" This was her life, not the vacation where she was allowed to let reality go for a while, and he knew her relationship with him was a complicating factor. He had no intention of flinching away from this if she needed to talk about it.

"There's not much good," she reflected wryly. "Meeting you tonight is the best thing that's happened to me since I came back."

"Tell me."

"Where should I start?" She accounted for the day she returned, only to find out that her friends had been so worried about her that they were trying to track her down. It was nice to know they were so concerned, but then it all turned sour, Yuffie wanting all the details of her scandalously elicit affair, and Cloud displaying what she was sure was jealousy, which she simply couldn't figure out. Had he really expected her to hold a flame for him forever? Even when he showed no interest?

"Are you sure there is no spark left for him?" Genesis asked gently, caressing her hair from her face, fanning it down over her body and watching it fall against her skin.

"I'm sure. I was sure of that long before I met you. It's just…I can't figure out what he wants from me, what he expected. And I'm angry that he's held me to a standard that he does not apply to himself."

Genesis was smiling at her, warm and tender, but with a hint of humor lingering in his eyes.

"What?" She asked defensively, making a futile effort to put distance between them.

"You are magnificent when you're angry. I imagine you are a force to be reckoned with." He kissed her, his own reassurance that he was not laughing at her, merely pleased with his observation.

"It's just very hard to deal with. And now he seems to be around more than ever, practically everywhere I turn, it seems, and I see hurt and accusation in his eyes every time."

"He will accept it with time."

Oh, if he only knew Cloud! Rather than explain, Tifa let the matter drop. She had her own idea about how to handle Cloud, which required just a bit more tweaking.

"And then there's Marlene. I thought I could trust her, but now I'm not so sure. I found out she's been sneaking out of the house at night."

That earned a low, throaty chuckle from Genesis.

"I did that all the time when I was a kid." The laugh faded. "With Angeal…" he added, almost as an afterthought, but so laced with pain it was palpable. Tifa stroked his cheek, bringing his attention back to her.

"Will you tell me about that someday? About your childhood? About Angeal? Or is it too much to ask?"

A soft, bittersweet smile claimed his features.

"I will. Someday. Right now, you are telling me about Marlene."

"Oh yeah." Tifa sighed. "I know kids do that, but it's so unlike Marlene. And then she mentioned knowing Reno the other day, and it sounds like there might be something going on there. I just can't let that go without trying to…do something."

"Reno? The Turk?"

"The very same."

"Damn. He's still around?" Genesis commented thoughtfully. "I'd be careful with him, and don't trust him, not with yourself, and certainly not with anyone you love."

"He also came to talk to Cloud a few nights ago. I still don't know what that was about, but it seems he was trying to get Cloud to do something for Shinra."

Something occurred to her then that she hadn't thought about before.

"Genesis, how long have you been around Edge?"

"I came for a very short visit before I sent you that last message to make sure this place remained safe, and then I arrived here yesterday to make sure everything was ready. Why?"

"Is there any way Shinra could know you're here?"

He rolled up onto his side so he could prop his head on a hand.

"You think that's why Reno showed up?"

"They can't be looking for you, can they?"

He gazed out into the dim light of the room, contemplating the possibility.

"I don't think so. I am taking a risk, but I'm not even sure they know I'm alive. I imagine if they did know, they would not be so casual about trying to hunt me down."

"Then you're in danger being here." It wasn't as if she didn't already know that, but she hadn't expected it to be spelled out quite like this.

"I'm in danger wherever I go. There's always the possibility someone might recognize me. But I don't think that's what this is about."

"Do you know?"

"No." He was being honest, clearly, but was very concerned as well. "But I love you and these are your friends, so I'm going to warn you as best I can: You need to be very careful about Shinra and what they want from Cloud Strife. And if Reno is showing interest in Marlene, I can almost guarantee that he's using her for something."

Genesis had seen things over the years, but hadn't paid much attention to them as they didn't seem pertinent to his personal quest, but now his interest was peaked, spurred on by his concern for Tifa, and he was going to do some back-pedaling if he could and find out as much as he could about Cloud Strife and why Shinra would want to get their hands on him.

Pulling her closer, letting Tifa's presence sooth his newly discovered fear for her safety, which he had no way to protect at the moment, Genesis brushed his lips over hers, letting the kiss linger and simmer, with a touch of anxiety that quickly transformed into a different type of tension, and while Tifa let it sidetrack her from his ominous warning, she did not, even for a second, let it distract her from his hastily spoken declaration of love.


	23. Life's Little Distractions

_Rated M for erotic content. Hopefully it's clear, but if not, italics are flashbacks, not fantasies. Although they certainly do as fantasies as well.  
_

_This was a fun chapter, though I don't know what I would have done if I were Tifa. Hope you're all enjoying the twists and turns, Genesis and Tifa's as well as all the others. _

_Thanks much for reading and reviewing. I had to redo the formatting with the italics for the flashbacks; if I missed anything let me know.  
_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Life's Little Distractions

"Tifa."

_Stroking up her leg, the pressure of his fingers feather light one moment, firm the next, and then he was using that grip to pull her leg tighter around him, grinding against her, sinking further into her body..._

"Tifa?"

She swept the cloth over the bar again, the motion automatic, not requiring any particular thought.

_...driving the breath from her lungs in harsh gasps and incoherent pleas. His lips whispered against the side of her face, breath moist against her cheek, teeth sharp as he nipped the soft skin beneath her chin, tongue a plush, sensual swirl of heat as he laved that skin and drew it into his mouth..._

"Tifa!"

"Huh?" The cloth remained where it had been for the past few minutes, her hand clutching it, her arm frozen in mid-motion. She turned to Yuffie, not even sure she was really there.

_...he was stretched out beneath her, arms extended across the bed, legs slightly spread, completely vulnerable to her and gazing up at her with a smoldering expression in which there wasn't even a question of trust. His skin was surprisingly soft under her fingers, his body incredibly responsive, rising into her touch..._

Tifa was staring at Yuffie, totally not seeing her, wondering if there was some way she could simply wish her into nonexistence for a moment.

_The sensation of simply running her hands over his body was an erotic delight she hadn't imagined. His utter capitulation to her caresses, her exploration, was so empowering, it sizzled from the tips of her fingers and danced along her body in a wave that was as sensual as if he were the one touching her._

"Yoohoo. Knock, knock? Anyone home?"

_...and his voice, when he spoke her name, when he asked her what she wanted, when he whispered illicit questions in her ear, and when he groaned, oh when he groaned. The sound struck her somewhere deep in her belly, creating a fluttering that spread up through her breasts and down between her thighs simultaneously, creating a web of tension, need, and pure feeling that her body refused to contain._

"What's he like?"

_That tension flowed out of her, tingling along her skin, making her muscles spasm, in her hands, her arms, her legs and deep within her belly. It spilled from her lips in soft pants and pleas, moans of anticipation, satisfaction and appreciation._

What's he like? Yuffie was suddenly much clearer, in the very center of her vision.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, please, Tifa. I'd bet every ball of materia I've got that you were thinking about your mystery lover."

"I..."

"Even more, I'd bet every gil in my possession that I know exactly what kind of thoughts you were thinking about him."

"Yuffie, I..."

Reaching out a hand to place it on her wrist, Yuffie smiled brightly.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Tifa turned away in annoyance. She wasn't going to answer that question, wasn't going to discuss this with Yuffie yet one more time.

"Oh, come on, Tifa, don't be like that. You got a drink for a friend?"

Well, at least she was smart enough tonight to know when to drop the subject. Tifa mixed Yuffie her favorite mango margherita, lots of crushed ice, no salt. Yuffie took a long sip of the drink, closing her eyes as if it truly hit the spot.

"Damn, that's good," she complimented as she put the glass down.

"Tell me something, Yuffie?" Yuffie savoring her drink had given Tifa time to pull herself together and focus, and she decided to take control of the conversation before Yuffie had a chance to delve into another round of twenty questions.

"Sure thing, Tifa," Yuffie said over her glass before taking another sip.

"What do you know about Marlene's new boyfriend?"

It wasn't that Tifa had never seen anyone spit their drink across the bar, but considering it was Yuffie was a bonus, adding an extra ounce of humor to it. Yuffie slapped her hand to her chest as she choked and sputtered, trying to clear her lungs of the liquid she had managed to inhale as Tifa looked on in surprise. Somehow, this was not what she had expected. Tifa had been practically sure that Yuffie would know something. Apparently, though, it took her completely by surprise.

"You know?" Yuffie gasped.

Tifa bit back her disappointment that Yuffie's shock had been in reaction to Tifa's question rather than not knowing after all, which meant Yuffie had been keeping it from her.

Tifa would have liked to have said it had been obvious, or that Marlene had told her everything. It stung that she couldn't claim either.

"What has she told you?"

Yuffie looked around the bar, wide-eyed, taking in her surroundings intently, checking to make sure they had some privacy and wouldn't be overheard.

"She's been telling me stories about someone she likes, but she wouldn't tell me who it was. In fact," Yuffie raised an eyebrow at Tifa, "she's better at avoiding that question than you are."

Tifa ignored that little jab.

"And she told you not to tell, right?"

"What makes you think that?" Tifa wasn't buying that innocent Yuffie expression.

"Because you tell me everything, Yuffie. Whether or not I want to hear it."

Yuffie had enough grace to bow her head, her cheeks pinkening a bit.

"She said she didn't think you would understand."

"What kind of stories has she been telling you?"

Yuffie squirmed around in her seat a bit, and Tifa recognized it for what it was; Yuffie was uncomfortable with sharing this without Marlene's permission.

"Look Yuffie, I'm worried about her. I think it might be someone much older than her."

"She didn't tell me much, Tifa. Just stories about how good he is to her, treats her like a princess, laughs at her jokes. How she feels like she has to sneak out to see him because you don't understand."

"And you bought all that, Yuffie?" Tifa was astounded. Yes, Yuffie could be naive, but she was more perceptive than this. "And you didn't think it was important to tell me about it?"

"It was nothing we didn't do, Tifa. I mean, they could be just friends. Except for the sneaking out thing. And the expression on her face when she talks about him. Wait a sec. Do you know who it is?"

Tifa was pretty sure based on her conversation with Marlene that it was Reno, but maybe it was better that she not let that slip until she had proof. Nothing good could come of Yuffie blabbing about it to everyone.

"Maybe not. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions. Seeing something that isn't there."

Yuffie took another long sip of her drink.

"Well, if you want to see what is there, the best place to look would be Marlene's diary. She's writing in that thing all he time."

"Oh no, Yuffie! I can't believe you said that! I could never do that."

"Why not? You said you were worried about her, didn't you?" She snorted as Tifa put another drink in front of her. "I would do it. In a heartbeat."

"That's cause you're nosey."

"Hey, you're the one who's asking questions."

"Asking questions about what?"

The two women turned to find Cloud standing in the doorway leading into the stock room.

"Hey Spiky," Yuffie greeted. "Maybe you know something about the mystery of the moment." Tifa's head whipped around so she could glare at Yuffie, a dark expression of warning on her face, but Yuffie was in her element, chatting it up with friends and trying to find out the latest gossip. In other words, totally oblivious.

Tifa missed the concern that passed through Cloud's eyes, but she heard it in his voice.

"What mystery would that be?"

It occurred to Tifa that there were lots of mysteries floating around that Cloud would be worried about. Hers, his, the one regarding Shinra, and Marlene's, which she wasn't even sure he knew anything about. That was about to be quickly rectified.

"It seems that our little Marlene is seeing someone on the sly." Yuffie was enjoying this far too much. Cloud searched Yuffie's face and then Tifa's, his expression somewhere between relief and disbelief.

"What makes you think that?"

"Does that mean you haven't heard?"

Cloud shrugged, turning his head away, appearing to study the multi-colored bottles that lined the walls.

"I guess not. I'm going to be on the road tomorrow, Tifa. Do you need me to pick anything up?"

"I don't think so. I think we've got it all covered." With the awkwardness that now existed between them, it was almost a relief to talk to him about normal, everyday things. "Do you know when you'll be back?" It was a question she always asked, but had learned to never expect an answer to.

"No." And with that, he turned away abruptly, retreating the same way he had arrived.

"Some things never change," Yuffie muttered over the remains of her drink.

Bursting into laughter, Tifa threw her towel into the bucket for laundering.

"Careful, Yuffie. It sounds like you might be in danger of catching on."

* * *

Damn, but she was tired, but Tifa wouldn't give up that bone-weary fatigue for anything, not when part of the cause had been spending the previous night with Genesis in such intense pleasure and comfort. She found peace when she was with him, an easy contentment in the way he held her and listened to her talk about whatever sprang to mind.

_She caught herself glancing at him, wondering if he was really listening or merely humoring her, only to find him meeting her gaze, the dim reflection of candlelight dancing in the depths of crystalline eyes. He tilted his head quizzically, his hair falling to shade his eyes which were relaxed, sated, the lids lowered, but sparkling with awareness._

_She lost her thought then, momentarily forgetting what she had been talking about and why she paused._

_"So what happened?" He asked, his focus narrowing to her lips and then moving up to her eyes._

_"What happened?" Tifa responded, dazed._

_Lip quirking, he stroked a hand through her hair, drawing her in for a brief kiss._

_"The church? The remnant you had to fight? What happened?"_

_He had been listening to her, and he never seemed to tire of it, punctuating the conversation with questions or comments here and there. He made her feel interesting, important, like there was nothing he would rather do than spend time with her._

She was standing at Marlene's door. It was late, but she still checked on Marlene and Denzel before she went to bed, simply sticking her head in the door. It was more habit now, as they got older, but it was a habit she was loath to break.

Her chest clenched when she found the room empty, the window left partially open. She had held some hope that perhaps Marlene would be there, but wasn't nearly as surprised as she thought she would be to find the girl had already slipped out. Tifa sighed and stepped back out of the room, but stopped just short of pulling the door shut.

"No," she muttered to herself. "I'm not doing this." And she actually managed to wheel around and gain two steps back towards her own room before stopping in her tracks, held captive by the dilemma. She knew she shouldn't do it, but what if it was the only way to insure Marlene's safety? She wanted to think that all she had to do was sit down with Marlene and have a heart-to-heart, but considering their previous confrontation, she didn't think that was going to happen. And maybe she was jumping to conclusions; just because Marlene knew Reno, might even have a crush on him, didn't mean that he was the person she was sneaking out to see.

Her gut, however, didn't trust that. This was bizarre behavior for Marlene, and she were pretty sure that Marlene wouldn't be so secretive about seeing someone unless she knew it wouldn't go over too well.

Piping up from a dim corner of Tifa's brain, a little voice whispered "hypocrite". Tifa did her best to squelch that voice. Her situation was different, she was sure. She was older, more mature, and had more experience. She was an adult, aware of her actions and their possible consequences. Her eyes were open to the facts she knew about Genesis, many of which she could confirm if she chose, and she was balancing that with her emotions and instincts, which told her that whatever Genesis had been, his experiences had changed him, and he was no longer the monster people had once perceived him as.

She didn't need to read the entire diary, or even an entire entry; all she needed to do was see the name of a certain Turk. His name, nothing more. It would confirm or deny her assumptions and possibly lay the entire matter to rest.

Just a name. That's all she needed.

She found the diary without even searching for it, lying in the center of the bed right in front of Marlene's pillow. Knowing that Marlene was so secure in her privacy that she didn't even bother to hide it made the guilt immediate and sharp. Tifa sat on the edge of the bed fingering the book, second-guessing her decision once more before flipping the book open to a random page. She skimmed over the words on the page quickly, not finding what she was looking for, and breathing a sigh of relief that she had accomplished her goal of looking for the dreaded name and not actually reading Marlene's personal entries. Turning the pages a few times, glancing as she did so, the first name she came across wasn't the one she feared, but her own. She stared at the four letters for a few seconds, biting back the urge to find out what Marlene had written, but losing the battle.

"Tifa's been acting strange since she came home, but in a way, she's happier than I've seen her in years. She says it was a one time thing, a vacation fling I guess, but I wonder if she doesn't have feelings for him and if she might be planning to see him again. And why won't she tell us about him? The mystery remains unsolved. Y can't even figure it out."

Another couple of pages, and there was a short notation in the margin: "Mid. Mem. 1 am" . A meeting, Tifa surmised, and the Memorial would be a common enough meeting area, but there was no mention of who Marlene was meeting, so it proved nothing. Flip, flip, and she saw her name again. "I know Tifa cares. I really do. And I thought after she returned from vacation that she would understand, but I don't think she does. I feel like I can't really talk to her anymore, especially about him."

A pang of remorse touched Tifa's heart. Marlene had needed her, had even relied on her understanding, and she had let Marlene down. It was an awful, disappointing feeling, made worse by the fact that if what she suspected was true, she didn't think even her experience with Genesis would help her understand and give Marlene what she needed.

Yet she clung to the tiny thread of possibility that she was wrong.

Relief edged in as she reached the last page of the diary without finding what she was looking for. And then her eyes fell on the last paragraph, dated that morning, and separate from the rest, which is what drew her eyes to it.

"It had to be a dream. I love the way he smiles, and how he laughs when we're talking, and he always gives the best hugs, tight and warm, like he's trying to hold me as close as possible. He's been really sweet until now, but I thought he was just being kind. He did ask me to meet him again tonight, and then he kissed me. I stopped breathing when his lips touched my cheek, and he was so sweet, stopping to ask if that was okay. I couldn't even speak, so I just nodded, and then he kissed me again, right on the corner of my mouth. Goddess, please don't let it have been a dream."

"Oh, and have I mentioned how I love the color of his hair? So red, and so long. It's just like I remember it when I was little, even the ponytail. I wonder if he'd let it loose so I can see. Maybe I'll ask."

Tifa let the diary slip closed in her hand, sorry now that she had read that last paragraph, sorry that she had followed through with Yuffie's suggestion to begin with. She hadn't found a name, but the answer to her concern was evident enough.

How had this happened? Tifa had hardly even heard from or seen Reno since the fight with the remnants. Shinra still existed, but had remained quiet since the final showdown with Sephiroth.

Too quiet, perhaps.

So how had Marlene managed to meet Reno? Tifa wouldn't have thought Marlene would remember Reno from her childhood, but apparently she did. And when had this happened? How long had Marlene had feelings for the Turk?

And what the hell was Reno thinking?

Tifa knew she would have to do something, find some way to make Marlene understand, prove to Marlene that Reno couldn't be trusted. Somehow find out why Reno was doing this.

How to do that, though, especially with no idea of what Reno was up to, was yet another mystery.

There was a noise from the darkness outside the window, nothing ominous or suspicious, but it was enough to remind Tifa where she was and what she was doing, jangling her nerves and flushing her face with embarrassed guilt. Setting the diary back where she had found it, she slipped from the room as quietly as she had entered, but much more quickly. By the time she reached her own bedroom door, she was out of breath, her heart pounding with the anticipation of getting caught in the act of invading Marlene's privacy, even after she had closed her door behind her and there was no further chance of being found out.

Later, an hour, maybe two, lying awake, waiting for sleep to claim her, she heard Marlene come back into the house. Her brain had been consumed with what to say, when to say it, how to find the answers she needed, but she resisted the urge to get up and confront Marlene in the hallway and demand an explanation. That could wait, and she knew she had to be careful about this. She heard Marlene's door open, and the soft creak of the floor as Marlene went to the bathroom, and then again as she returned, along with the muffled thump of her door closing. Silence fell again, and Tifa's senses, acute with her concern, backed down from the edge they had been on, and she finally felt the fatigue her body felt catch up with her brain, weighing her eyelids. She faded into sleep, her last thought a wish that her dreams were of Genesis, and not of the many complications that seemed to be springing up just as she was coming into her own.


	24. Dealing With Monsters

_Thanks to Zetsubel, who mentioned that I've sort of left Denzel by the wayside, there is finally another mention of him in here, and we may see more of him in chapters to come. Leaving him out wasn't so much intentional on my part, though he isn't one of my favorite characters. I simply envisioned him going about his teenage business and trying not to get underfoot. But I haven't been all that fair to him, so I'll see what I can do about that. As for some of the other suggestions made, I make no promises, but if it works, one never knows._

_It occurred to me as I was working on this chapter that I've been writing "Forbidden" for more than a year now. It certainly doesn't seem that long! Thanks much for reading, commenting, and for all the encouragement. _

_As for this chapter, I think Tifa shows an amazing amount of restraint dealing with her first 'monster', and doesn't get nearly enough butt-kicking time with the second. _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Dealing With Monsters

Tifa stared at the red-head that was loitering across the street from her. He certainly wasn't the red-head that she would have liked to see, that was for sure. He was, however, the one that she had a bone to pick with. And what luck that she happened to run across him this morning.

It had been a horrible morning, at least as far as she was concerned. She was guilty about reading Marlene's diary and dreading the further discussion that was inevitable. Denzel had wandered through, inhaling a piece of toast and guzzling a glass of milk. Tifa had tried to ask him about Marlene's friends, but Denzel's expression of extreme distaste said everything, followed up with the declaration that he had no interest in Marlene's girl-friends, and even less interest in listening to Marlene talk about boys.

Then Marlene hadn't come down to breakfast on time. Tifa had waited, growing edgier by the moment, knowing that Marlene had come in late, but feeling completely unsympathetic for the girls need to make up the sleep she had missed the night before. Besides, she had things to do, and watching the clock as she waited was only adding to her irritability. The worst part, though, was when Marlene finally made her appearance. The words that had been churning through Tifa's mind all night and morning simply wouldn't come out. They scattered in her brain, and as if in suspended animation, simply hung there randomly as if there were no cohesion to her thoughts at all. The only words she could string together were 'I read your diary!' No, that simply wouldn't do.

Marlene had that 'look' about her. She moved like she was floating on air, like nothing could bring her down, nothing could bother her, and she had that glow of happiness that was sleepy, rumpled, and, Tifa hated to admit it, satisfied. Tifa didn't even want to think what that expression might mean. She didn't want to think about what was going on in the late hours of the night that she had no control over, things that she couldn't find a good way to warn Marlene about. And she didn't want to think about the potential proverbial train wreck that seemed to be looming in their future.

All due to the man that she was now watching casually flick a cigarette butt to the ground. Slob.

Straightening her shoulders and reminding herself to keep her temper and her thoughts in check, she crossed the street with determination.

The cocky grin he met her with didn't help her maintain her control.

"Do you have a minute, Reno?"

Mild shock glimmered in his eyes before the amusement snuck back in. He glanced around him as if looking for the person she was really talking to.

"You sure you got the right person, Lockhart?"

She clenched her fists on her hips, her nails digging into the palms of her hands.

"Unfortunately. Do you have a minute or not?"

He held a hand to his chest, a pained expression crossing his face.

"Oh, you wound me, Lockhart. And here I thought you were..."

"Quit wasting my time, Reno. Obviously you have nothing better to do, so I'm just going to ask you outright. What's going on with you and Marlene?"

The transformation was amazing. The shock was now genuine, and then it shifted to guarded suspicion.

"What did she tell you?"

"So you admit it?"

"I ain't admitting to nothing, Lockhart. What the fuck'd she tell you?"

"Too much and not nearly enough."

He sneered at her and cocked his head to his side, apparently pleased with himself, and then passed her by, walking away.

"Which means you don't know nothing. Maybe we can talk when you get your facts straight."

The fury welled up in Tifa's chest until she was practically choking on it. Damn Turk. And how stupid she felt! She should have known this would happen, should have seen it coming. She had enough encounters with Reno in the past to know that getting anything from him wouldn't be as simple as asking for it. She let the anger rise just enough to simmer beneath the surface, squaring herself off as she did when she prepared to fight.

"I know enough, Reno." She didn't know what his game was, but she recognized trouble well enough when she saw it coming. "I may not have the details yet, but I know you're up to no good. Fair warning, Reno, when the time comes, I will take care of my own."

If his attention was what she wanted, she had it. He had turned back to her, walking slowly, head tilted, eyes narrowed, studying her as if she were prey. Tifa managed to hold still as he stalked a circle around her; she was not going to be intimidated by him. Not now. She had been through too much with Shinra to let a Turk intimidate her. Coming full circle, he held her gaze long enough that she had to remind herself not to squirm under his inspection. And then he smiled, that annoying, I-know-something-you-don't-know smile, the one that made Tifa want to slap the smugness right off his face, and sauntered away, turning to spit on the sidewalk as he went.

Disgusting. As if having this conversation with him weren't offensive enough, spitting just had to be the last straw in distastefulness. With anyone else, Tifa might have wondered if they knew how vile a habit it was, but with Reno, the question never occurred to her. No, she was pretty sure it was intentionally obnoxious on his part.

Completely unsatisfied with the results of her conversation with Reno, Tifa went about getting her errands run. Fortunately, that goal took her in the opposite direction of the maddening Turk. Winding her way through the streets, another question crept into her mind. What was Reno doing here? The Turks had been relatively scarce lately, or at least low-key. She had seen Reno more in the past couple of weeks than she had in quite a while, and now he seemed to be popping up around every corner.

Detouring down a short alley, Tifa was drawn from her thoughts by people hurrying past on the upcoming street. No, not hurrying. Running. And pushing. With a couple of screams to put an exclamation on things.

Stepping up to the edge of the street, Tifa tried to see what was causing such a reaction, but couldn't see beyond the people fleeing in blind panic. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Tifa worked against the crowd, and inevitably found the source of the panic. She stopped mid-stride when she saw it, too dumbfounded to even express her shock. In fact, to anyone who might have taken the time to notice, Tifa's face was completely blank, unaffected.

And she was sure, as she took in the scene before her, that this was the answer to her question. The seven-legged monstrosity complete with talons, a whip-like tail, both scales and feathers, and two heads, one with a lethal array of teeth dripping venom, the other beaked, was the reason Reno was in the neighborhood. And in that moment of revelation, Tifa also knew that Shinra was behind this, that they had not yet learned their lesson.

The area around the creature was slowly clearing, until the last shop owner slid past it, just barely evading the snapping jaws in one breath and the lashing tail in the next. Grabbing Tifa's upper arm, he tried to pull her from the area with him, but released her when he caught the determination in her eyes, in the set of her features. What everyone else did was their business; Tifa was going to stand and fight.

She knew the moment the courtyard was cleared. The silence felt like a weight boring down on her, and both of the creature's heads, both sets of eyes, were now focused intently on her, its tail restlessly twitching back and forth. Tifa remained as still as possible, weighing her options, searching for the best mode of attack, for her advantage, but the monster gave nothing away, standing just as still, most likely doing the same thing she was. Or wondering why this insane human wasn't running like the rest of them. As if it were through silent agreement, they started circling each other, and while Tifa's nerves sang with the tension running through them, she was relieved that the creature was now engaged with her rather than chasing innocent people hither thither through the city.

It was edging closer as it circled, and without warning, Tifa was rolling to dodge the length of its tail as it swiveled around, and then leaping back to avoid the gnashing of teeth as the creature followed up its attack. Damn, it was fast. In all her years of battle, with all her experience, Tifa couldn't remember ever coming across a monster that moved with such speed and flexibility. Lashing out with a kick, trying to keep distance from her opponent, her foot connected with one leg, breaking it down at the knee, long enough for her to close in and connect a powerful punch to the underside of the things beak. The clack and grind of the hard substance grated on Tifa's nerves, sending a shiver down her spine in a so not good way. Unfortunately, the animal recovered quickly enough to take advantage of Tifa's discomfort, lunging forward again, with no indication that Tifa's strike had made a bit of difference. Tifa used the few pieces of scattered outdoor furniture, weaving between them defensively, calculating which might be best to use as a shield, but she would just manage to block herself with one piece or another and it would get snatched out of her hands by a tail that apparently worked as a tentacle as well, and she would be left scrambling once again.

Moving hard and fast, Tifa got a couple of good punches in, even getting a distinctive "oomph" from the animal at one particularly hard strike to its belly, which she barely escaped from unscathed, but she was fast coming to recognize that she might be a bit overpowered in this fight. She couldn't divide her attention enough to find the cause of the flicker of motion in her peripheral vision, a bad thing as it could be a second creature joining the attack, but then there was a flash of light and the creature hit the ground hard, wallowing for a moment and then wobbling to its feet, shaking its head roughly.

She was about to close in on the wounded animal when vise-like hands wrapped around her upper arms, drawing her back and away with intense speed. She might have fought, but one hand released its hold so that arm could wrap around her midriff, and her mind dazedly processed the red leather of the sleeve.

Genesis?

No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't be in the middle of town in broad daylight. He couldn't risk being seen, being recognized. And there were Turks around. Oh, Goddess. Tifa wanted to squirm, to get him away before he was noticed, wanted desperately to warn him, about the creature, about the Turks, but she was fading, the world was fading, getting dark and fuzzy as she was drawn away from the fight, and her muscles were failing her, becoming weak and immobile as the seconds ticked by. Before the world dimmed completely, she heard Reno's voice, but he wasn't talking to her, she didn't think, and then there was the zing of electricity and the smell of hair and flesh burning, pungent and revolting, rolling her stomach. Dreamlike in its quality, Tifa felt herself being turned, her face pressed against something that, thankfully, dimmed the other smells around her in a familiar, masculine scent, and she heard the voice she wanted to hear, a voice that was comfortable and loved.

"Quiet, Tifa. Just let go. I've got you and you're safe. You can stop fighting now."

If she was dying, she at least knew the angel that had come to retrieve her.


	25. Poison

_Thank you for being patient on my ultra-slow update on this. I had half of this chapter written for a while, but it simply wasn't working for me, and I ended up doing a reorganization/rewriting of the entire thing so it better fit my imagery. I know it's silly, but I hate deleting stuff that I've written; I always worry that I'll change my mind, or that I'll need it again in some form, and that it'll be be gone and I won't be able to remember it. Just one of the reasons re-drafting irritates me to no end. Which is also why it takes me so long. Hopefully the next will not be so elusive._

_For all your support and encouragement, thank you._

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

Poison

The world was still fuzzy, but light was gradually invading the darkness, creating an entirely new discomfort, the growing brightness piercing mercilessly into that point of her brain that skewed her balance and made her nauseous. Tifa swallowed against the sensation, moving her head, trying to find a more comfortable position, one that might provide some relief. The light dimmed allowing the pain to subside to a tolerable level and a soft coolness dabbed at her forehead and cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" It was softly spoken, but the sound was nearly as intense as the light.

"Not so good." She tried to grasp his hand, to still it against her face, but her muscles didn't seem to be working right, her arm refusing to rise, feeling leaden and weak, and as she tried, it began to tremble uncontrollably. Opening her eyes, she closed them immediately, even the dim light too much for her to tolerate.

Genesis lifted her, cradling her against his body, and held a cup to her lips.

"Drink this."

She protested mildly. She didn't feel like drinking anything. The mere thought of it made her queasy, but he persisted, tipping the cup relentlessly, and she sipped at the cool water. When he was satisfied she had drunk enough, he set the cup aside, but remained where he was, holding her to him as she shook.

"Relax, Tifa. Rest for a while and let it wear off. The more you fight it, the more uncomfortable it will be."

As Genesis lowered her back into the bed and pulled a blanket up around her, the world began to once again slip into darkness and Tifa couldn't seem to focus as it faded.

"You need to sleep, Tifa," she heard from what seemed like a great distance away and was barely aware of the soft-spoken response she made before she succumbed.

"What have you done to me?"

When she woke again, the pain had subsided and the world focused much faster as she recognized the small room she was in. Small and sparse, she was sure it was what every room Shinra provided would look like, and she wondered if there existed a way to make it more hospitable. She wasn't sure how much time Genesis spent here, but he kept it neat and clean, and the bed had a wonderfully familiar scent: Genesis.

Tifa pushed herself up to a sitting position and, finding she was much stronger than when she had previously woken, she very carefully stood. Aware that she was, even now, not fully recovered, she moved slowly to the door and kept one hand on the wall as she navigated the corridor in an attempt to find Genesis, being careful not to wander too far. Based on what she knew of Shinra, the place could be huge, despite its hidden nature, and as unfamiliar as she was with the facility, she could spend hours searching to no avail. During her previous visit, she had wandered among the rooms immediately adjacent to the bedroom, but hadn't ventured further, especially with Genesis occupying her time with much more pleasant endeavors.

Genesis. There was something she wanted to say to him, something that needed discussing. What was it? The fog hadn't yet lifted, and she was having a great deal of difficulty grasping at the wispy scenes from her memory.

She was beginning to worry about straying too far when she heard the sound of paper shuffling, leading her to an open door, beyond which Genesis had files spread out across a table. He was leaning over them studiously, moving them occasionally from one side to the other. In light of witnessing this side of Genesis, which she had not yet seen, Tifa forgot about her elusive concerns and watched him, entranced, imagining him as a student, wondering what he had been like when he was younger.

"You're awake." He startled her out of her thoughts, speaking before he had physically acknowledged that he was aware of her presence. Leaving the file he was currently examining, he placed the gentlest of kisses on her forehead and led her to a chair near the table where he was working. Kneeling down before her, he checked her pulse and then held her eyes open and studied them. "You look better. How do you feel?"

"Better." She wasn't sure if she should tell him she was still having a bit of difficulty shifting her focus quickly. "What did you give me?"

His hair fell across his eyes as he tilted his head quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"To knock me out. What did you give me?"

If the expression of shock on Genesis' face as he pulled back was any indication, Tifa could almost believe she had hurt his feelings.

"Tifa." Yes, his voice confirmed it. She had hurt him somehow, but she couldn't figure out how.

"I remember being...carried away? That was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that was me."

"You weren't," the thought that was occurring to her didn't seem like her own, but she couldn't seem to let it go "following me, were you?"

"No. I was following the creature."

That made sense, but then "Why didn't you stop it?"

"I'm too high profile in Edge, Tifa. I have to be careful here."

She knew that. Why hadn't she thought of that?

"But Reno. He saw you. Wasn't he talking to you?"

"Yeah," Genesis chuckled. "That was a close one, but no, he didn't see me. By the time you heard him, we were out of sight." The seconds he had waited around a corner, tightly clutching an unconscious Tifa to his chest as he searched for a safe escape route, had been some of the longest in his life.

"And then you gave me something to drink. Something that made me sleep."

It was becoming clear to Genesis that Tifa didn't quite have her facts straight. Or was confusing them. Either way, he wasn't sure how to handle the sting to his pride caused by her belief that he might have done something to her.

"Why did you stop me? I was probably the only person there that could fight that thing."

"You weren't going to be able to defeat it, Tifa. I had to get you out of there."

"What makes you think that?" Granted, he didn't know what she was truly capable of, but she had spoken of her past. He knew she was a member of AVALANCHE, and yet here he sat, grossly underestimating her.

She stood up, moving away from him, breathing deeply to hide the lingering aftermath of whatever was affecting her.

"You think I haven't seen something like that before?" Had she? Now that she had said it, she wasn't so sure. She tried to picture the creature clearly, but all she came up with was the vague impression of it moving fast as something flashed by her. Tentacles? She couldn't be sure, and the mental effort was spiking pain through her head. She turned on him, determined to make her point and not appear weak while doing it.

"I'm a fighter. I can handle myself."

Genesis was staring at her with a serious intensity that was frightening.

"I have never doubted it."

"But you don't think I could handle one monster."

He bowed his head, sighing, the air ruffling the longer strands of hair over his face.

"Fine." He squared his shoulders and approached. "Defend yourself."

Tifa had all of a second to be shocked before she was fending off an attack which, by all standards, should have required nothing more than a simple block. She was betrayed by her reflexes, however, which were sluggish, refusing to respond and restricting her defense.

When all was said and done, she ended up facing the wall, trapped there by the length and weight of Genesis' body, her arms held curled high above her head by his hands at her wrists. She struggled fruitlessly to free herself for a few seconds, and then finally gave in to her body's exhaustion. Genesis kept them there as they were, pressing his cheek to the back of her head as he waited for her breathing to calm before he explained.

"You were poisoned by the creature you were fighting with, Tifa."

Tifa squeezed her eyes shut tightly, letting the words sink in. That explained so much, especially why she was feeling so sick.

"I pulled you out of there just as the poison took effect. It was a good thing it only hit you once. As it is, you were out for hours and I was worried about your breathing and heart-rate for a while. I gave you a cure, which relieved some of the symptoms enough so I didn't have to get help, but I'm guessing you're still feeling the effects, yes? Dizzy? Weak? Short of breath?"

He released her cautiously but kept a hand on her elbow in case she needed the support, and yes, she was a little wobbly as she made her way back to the chair. He leaned against the table he had been working on, crossing his arms over his chest, giving her space but watching to make sure she didn't need him.

Tifa had a feeling that there were other symptoms besides what he had mentioned. She was feeling strangely out of sorts, and was just becoming aware of how confrontational and paranoid she was acting. She forced herself past the odd feelings, which seemed to be slipping away with passing time.

"What did I get hit with?" She had heard his concern, proof that it must have been serious, but she couldn't remember the strike.

"It's tail at one point, and spittle. I'm not sure how the poison was introduced."

"What was that thing?"

"Probably a distant cousin of mine."

Tifa snapped to attention, staring wide-eyed as she tried to make sense of what, exactly, that was supposed to mean. Genesis smiled apologetically.

"It was, I believe, the result of Shinra's latest line of research."

"You've never seen anything like it before?"

"Not specifically, but it is similar in some ways to a couple of Shinra's older creations."

She still couldn't pull all the pieces together of what had happened, but she was trying, and with Genesis' help it was starting to make a bit more sense.

"Shinra can't be doing this kind of research anymore. Rufus promised and people are watching him. We'd know about it, and I haven't heard anything."

Genesis snorted.

"People don't honestly trust Rufus Shinra, do they? Believe me when I say no one has a real line on what Shinra is up to."

"You don't think Rufus has learned anything from the past few years?"

"From what I remember of Rufus, I'm sure he's learned how to be sneakier. He's been very quiet for the past few years; that's never a good sign. And now these mutations are appearing. I've been tracking some of them, and trying to find any information I could in the files that were left behind." He gestured at the table. "There isn't much here, but from what I can tell, Shinra is actually getting better at controlling the mutations."

If what Genesis was saying was true, Rufus was trying to initiate a second version of SOLDIER. Or worse. He had, after all, searched the Northern Crater and come back with Jenovah's head. What he had been planning on doing with it, no one knew, but how could it have been good? Strangely, in the aftermath, Rufus Shinra's mission had been forgotten in the light of Kadaj's gang and the reappearance of Sephiroth.

They should have been more careful.


	26. Conflicts of Interests

_Yay for having time to write! It's been too scarce recently. I have to apologize for Yuffie in this chapter. If you've been reading, you know my feelings on her, but she just seems to have a knack for butting in! _

_For reading and reviewing, thank you! Your support and encouragement is appreciated!_

_Enjoy!_

_fire mystic_

Conflicts of Interests

"What have you done?"

Marlene was in a fine rage, her face drawn and red, her eyes puffy, and her hair in disarray where she had run her hands through it one too many times.

Tifa glanced behind her and then around her as if she might find the real target of Marlene's anger. Sadly, it was all for her.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Marlene. Maybe we can sit down and you can explain it to me."

This was a fine way to return home after her ordeal at the hands, or claws if truth be told, of Shinra's latest creation. She had faced some nasty little truths over the past twenty-four hours, not the least of which was the fact that Shinra seemed to be up to their old tricks. In the aftermath of waking up and finding out the truth of her weakened condition, she had been forced to admit some things to herself, as well as to Genesis.

There had been a brief time, in the midst of her confusion, when she had believed that her lack of coherence might be due to something Genesis had done to her, or something he had given her.

Where had that come from?

She trusted him. Didn't she? Until that idea occurred to her, she hadn't doubted it. And she didn't doubt it now. But she couldn't help but think that thought had to have come from somewhere.

She had been flipping through the papers Genesis had scattered about on the desk, trying to make sense of what she was seeing and to put it all into some chronological perspective, when she decided it would be better to discuss her strange feelings than to keep them shuttered inside.

"I thought you were underestimating my ability to fight that creature, but that wasn't the case, was it?"

He had stilled beside her.

"I had an advantage, Tifa. I made a tactical decision based on having studied the creature from a distance, while you were taking on an enemy you knew nothing about. From what I've observed, fighting that thing would have been at least equal to fighting a member of SOLDIER."

He turned to her, intent.

"I haven't seen you fight, Tifa. I don't know if you would have been able to take it, but I wanted to be safe, not sorry. Was I wrong?"

"I'm a fighter Genesis, not a fool. I don't think I'm invincible, and I know that there is always the possibility that I will lose." She paused, contemplating how to say she was sorry for feelings he wasn't even aware of.

"Before, when I woke up, I don't know what came over me. I was feeling a little strange there for a while, thinking and saying things that weren't like me at all, and I apologize for that."

She was expecting to have to clarify, but Genesis didn't ask. Brushing the back of his curled fingers over her cheek, pushing the hair back and tucking it behind her ear, he placed a kiss at the center of her forehead and pulled her into the comfort of his body.

"I think it was the poison, Tifa. Don't worry about it until I find out what it consists of." He dropped a kiss to her lips. "Are you feeling better now?"

She was, a little better with every minute that passed, but still not entirely steady on her feet. Genesis' smile at that news made her wonder what he was thinking.

"You let me know when you are, Ms. Lockhart. I think it's time I find out just what kind of fighter you are."

They were not enemies, and Genesis didn't treat her like one, but neither did he go easy on her. He challenged her at every step and then followed her lead, like a mentor testing a student. She hadn't doubted he would be well trained, but he had a posture that belied his flexibility, and he moved with intense purpose and accuracy. It didn't take long for Tifa to figure out that she wouldn't want to meet Genesis on the battle field, but was secretly very pleased when he broke a sweat.

Her victory, she was sure, Genesis let her have, yielding as she drove him to the ground and pinned him there. With the rapid rise and fall of his breathing pulsing beneath her, he had looked up at her through strands of damp hair that lay across his face, and in his eyes was a surrender of an entirely different kind. Tifa couldn't help but take advantage of it, leaning in to place a kiss over his rapidly beating heart, and ultimately, they both won.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Marlene's angry words cut into her thoughts. Tifa looked up as Marlene's cell phone came flying across the room at her. Reflexes reacting intuitively, she caught the phone neatly out of the air.

"You talked to him about me, didn't you? How could you?"

Tifa stared blankly at the cell phone and then at Marlene. What was she supposed to do with it.

Marlene stomped across the kitchen, taking the cell phone from her and opening it, tapping the screen a couple of times and handing it back. Tifa dumbly read the text Marlene had pulled up.

"no l8r...mama hens pist"

Apparently he was canceling a date, Tifa thought. Maybe her message had gotten through.

"What did you say to him?"

Tifa calmly took a seat and set the phone down on the table before her.

"We should have talked about this a long time ago, Marlene."

"He won't see me anymore. He's refusing even to answer my texts. What did you say?" Marlene's words were clipped, almost hostile. Tifa's own anger began to surface.

"I told him I protect my own," Tifa snapped, then took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. "First of all I think he's too old for you." She raised a forestalling hand. "But I could deal with that if it were my only issue. You just don't know Reno the way I do, Marlene."

"I knew you would say that. I knew you wouldn't have anything good to say about him." Her voice had shifted, now raw and on the verge of tears.

"He's not a good guy, Marlene. He never was. He's a Turk, a Shinra lackey. He's dangerous and he can't be trusted. How could I not say something?"

"Maybe you're the one who doesn't know him." She had bitten back the tears and was back to anger. "He's never been anything but good to me."

"Which," Tifa enunciated each word clearly, "is exactly why you shouldn't trust him." She let the words sink in, hoping that Marlene could find some sense in the confusion that was clearly etched in her expression. Considering Marlene's anger, Tifa expected more of a fight, and was surprised when Marlene backed away a couple of steps.

"He saved my life once, you know."

"No," Tifa sighed, "he didn't." And she really hoped that Marlene's memory had simply muddled things up on that and Reno hadn't painted that little memory for Marlene. She didn't need any more reasons not to trust him or this entire situation. "He found Kadaj's gang for Cloud. It was Cloud that saved you. Cloud and Vincent."

"But he helped in that battle. How can you say he's all bad?"

Marlene seemed so grown up most of the time that it sometimes surprised Tifa how much Marlene knew. But moments like this proved how much there was for her to learn. How dare Reno do this to Marlene. Emotions were hard enough to handle without someone toying with them, and Tifa was sure Marlene was being played.

"He fought in that battle for Shinra's own reasons, not for any greater good. If Shinra had nothing to gain from it, Reno wouldn't have bothered. If it had served Shinra's purposes, Reno would have just as easily been fighting with Kadaj."

"And you don't think people can change?" Marlene was quiet now, thoughtful.

"No, yes. No. I..." and Tifa response faded away. What was she supposed to say? Yes she believed people could change; her affair with Genesis was more than proof enough of that. It wouldn't have been possible otherwise. But Genesis had explained his past, explained the epiphany that had brought about the changes in him, had admitted his misunderstandings, his mistakes. And she had still accepted him.

But Reno? Who was she to pass judgement on someone like Reno? How did she know something hadn't happened to change Reno?

Instinct. It was such a simple answer, and one she trusted beyond facts, and yet she knew she would never be able to explain how she knew it satisfactorily. Instinct was how she knew she could trust Genesis despite his past, and it was how she knew she could not trust Reno now. The problem was convincing Marlene.

The backdoor slammed, followed by a loud clatter. As if that were not enough to announce their guest, Yuffie practically tripped into the room, the question "anyone home?" dying in her throat as she caught sight of first Marlene and then Tifa.

"I missed something, didn't I?" Yuffie asked. "What did I miss?"

Tifa wasn't sure she wanted to explain this conversation to Yuffie, but Marlene, who was apparently coming to her own conclusions, took that option out of her hands.

"It was you, wasn't it?" The tears finally fell freely, tracking down Marlene's cheeks as she glared accusingly at Yuffie, who was clearly at a loss. "You told her about him, didn't you? I confided in you, and you told!"

Understanding dawned on Yuffie's face, and she shook her head quickly. "No, Marlene. Tifa already knew you were seeing someone and she asked me about it." She turned to Tifa. "Is that was this is all about? Marlene dating?" Yuffie couldn't figure what the problem was.

Tifa studied Marlene's face.

"Have you told Yuffie who you're seeing?" She already knew the answer because Yuffie hadn't been able to tell her when they spoke. But Tifa had a feeling that Marlene had kept that little bit of information to herself intentionally. Maybe her instincts weren't so bad after all. Marlene's sharp look confirmed her suspicion.

"Who is it?" Yuffie had gotten over any shock she had experienced upon entering the tension in the room, and had flopped on a chair and was in the process of putting her feet up on the kitchen table. When she didn't get an immediate answer, she innocently glanced from one to the other impatiently. "Well? What's the big secret? Now that it's out, you might as well tell me!"

Tifa and Marlene were looking at each other, as if daring the other to tell, but Tifa decided that if Marlene were going to stand by her man, admitting to it should be her first step in doing so.

"I'm not the only one with secrets," Marlene spoke softly.

Tifa sat forward in her chair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've been seeing someone, too, Tifa. If he's so wonderful, how come you haven't brought him home to meet us yet?"

The sound of the chair sliding back was ominous as Tifa stood up and leaned over the table.

"This," she spoke softly and clearly, "is not about me."

Yuffie reclined in her chair, balancing on the two back legs as she watched the show avidly. "Wow, it must be good. Come on, Marlene. Now you have to tell. Who ya been seeing?"

Marlene held Tifa's gaze a moment longer as she delivered her blunt answer.

"Reno."

And having admitted the truth, Marlene turned and left the room to the clattering thump of Yuffie falling out of her chair.


	27. House of Cards

_For all of you who are still with me, thank you for your patience! (especially to xphiieebeex, to whom I had sort of promised this update a couple of months ago!) It has been a long time since I've been able to write with any fluidity. It felt really good to finally have the flow back; I hope it will stay with me. _

_To all the people who have reviewed, thank you. I usually respond to all reviews, and though I have failed in this as well, your reviews and support are enormously appreciated._

_As always, except for a couple of video games, my Reno figurine, and "Advent Children", I own nothing ffvii. _

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

House of Cards

"She's kidding, right?"

Even given the seriousness of the moment, Tifa wished she had a camera. Yuffie sprawled flat out on the floor leaning up on one elbow, looking completely scandalized, was at least worth a picture. She scrambled to her feet, trying to fix the chair at the same time but merely creating even further clatter. Finally getting her feet under her, she contemplated the chair for all of two seconds before turning back to Tifa, leaving the chair where it fell.

"Tell me it's a joke, Tifa!" Yuffie was too shocked to laugh, but she wanted to think that this was all a huge misunderstanding that they would all be laughing at later. "I mean," she continued, waving one arm helplessly in the direction Marlene had exited, "how is that even possible? Reno?" She shuddered, the action over-exaggerated. "I, I mean, are we really talking about the same person? _That_ Reno?"

Tifa didn't bother nodding. Reno was Reno. As far as she knew, he was the only one they knew.

"Well, hot damn!" Yuffie's expression was suddenly too bright, too enthusiastic, too cunning. "Wait till I tell Cloud!"

"No!" Tifa had to calm herself after nearly shouting the word. Yuffie certainly had her quirks, but she was usually far more observant than this, always falling into situations she shouldn't be involved in, seeing and hearing things that usually ended up being nothing but trouble. It worried Tifa to no end that if anyone around her was going to find out about Geneisis, it would be Yuffie, if only by accident, which was why it surprised Tifa that Yuffie didn't already know about Reno. But now that the truth was out there, it was clear that if Yuffie had known about Reno, it would have been nearly impossible for her to keep her mouth shut. And wasn't that the problem now? How did one shut Yuffie up?

"What are you talking about, Tifa?" Yuffie had stepped into Tifa's space and was examining her far too closely . "We have to tell him. It's only a matter of time before..."

"Absolutely NOT, Yuffie. You are not to tell anyone."

"How is that going to work, Tifa. Eventually everyone is going to find out, and then what?"

"We deal with it when the time comes."

"But..."

"It's not our secret to tell." And there was the bottom line. Tifa didn't like the idea, and she realized too well what Yuffie was talking about, but the truth of the matter was it wasn't their secret to tell, a subject that Tifa was highly sensitive to at the moment. She had her own secret, and until she was ready, she would hope that others would do the same for her. Whether they would be that sensitive was questionable, but she could hope.

Yuffie was staring at her, the expression on her face fluctuating slowly, from confusion to curiosity, to thoughtfulness.

"Tifa?"

Tifa slumped down into a chair, resting her head on the palm of her hand.

"Are you still seeing the man you met while you were away?"

Tifa was already sitting still, but she felt the air freeze in her chest as her heart skipped a beat. How was she supposed to answer that without arousing suspicion. The only thing she could think of saying was 'why do you ask', but in her mind that sounded a little too much like 'yes, but I don't want to admit to it', which wasn't exactly the truth. Or was it?

No, it was different, Tifa was sure. She just wasn't sure how. But for now, maybe a little truth was better than total evasion.

"Yes." She bit her tongue to keep from asking why Yuffie wanted to know.

"Why haven't we met him yet?"

Either Yuffie had picked up on what Marlene had said before she admitted her truth to Yuffie, or Yuffie was starting to piece together her own puzzle.

"It's complicated," Tifa muttered.

Yuffie snorted. "More complicated than Reno?"

Tifa let her eyes slip closed as her head started to pound, hoping that Yuffie didn't seriously want an answer to that. Her cell phone buzzed, a welcome relief, and she distractedly pulled it out of her pocket to answer it.

"How are you feeling?"

As if the man knew people were talking about him.

Hyper-conscious of her present company, Tifa had to concentrate to keep her tone moderate, her breathing even.

"I'm fine. You?"

There was silence on the line, enough so for Tifa to wonder just how clipped her response had been and realize she was too tired to worry about it. And then Genesis laughed, a low breathy laugh laced with the deeper timbre of his voice and bordering on being too intimate, a sound that tickled along the surface of her skin delicately and seeped in, reaching for other more intimate things.

"I was thinking about you," Genesis continued, and Tifa was immediately sorry that she might have hurt his feelings when he was calling simply to express his concern. Sorry, that is, until he continued, his tone now matching that laugh, his words reddening her cheeks, making them burn with heat. "I was thinking about you, spread out beneath me, your arms stretched out above your head, hands reaching and then clenching closed as I push into your body. How your body rises up into my touch, your skin soft and hot, and how you respond to my kisses, to my mouth and tongue on you, how sensitive your belly is, how you clench tighter around me when I draw your breast into my mouth. How your legs feel wrapped around me, drawing me closer, pulling me into you. How you gasp for breath and then moan my name and ask for more. And how flushed your skin is when you finally come."

He paused, and Tifa, paralyzed, aroused, could only wait.

"Is your skin flushed like that right now, Tifa?"

It took a moment for Tifa to pull herself together enough to realize he had asked her a question and was waiting for the answer. Exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she blinked and wiped at her face, feeling the evidence of heat there.

"Yes," she breathed into the phone, and he chuckled again.

"And is your guest enjoying it as much as you are?"

"Guest? What?" And reality slammed home. Raising her eyes, she was staring right at Yuffie, who had sat down in the chair directly opposite her and was watching her as if Tifa were a television and the entire fantasy were being played out across her face, Yuffie's eyes as round as Tifa had ever seen them, and her jaw hanging ajar.

Tifa flipped the phone closed in her hand. Let him just try to complain about her hanging up on him.

"I have to go." Tifa jumped out of her chair, heading for the door, and hoping against hope there was a way to avoid the questions Yuffie was bound to ask.

Not possible.

"Was that him?" Yuffie raced after here as she made her way through Seventh Heaven, slamming through the door onto the street. She had no idea where she was going, but her instincts were in full flight mode. What she needed to do was get some rest, but that was going to have to wait. She picked up her pace on the street, forcing Yuffie to jog to keep up as she fired questions and exclamations at her. "That was him, wasn't it? What did he say? You should have seen your face! I've never seen you look like that! What was he saying?" And on and on she went, until Tifa finally turned on her, stopping short.

"I am not going to talk about this right now, Yuffie. I'm..." and her next words faded away as he caught a flash over Yuffie's shoulder. Her reaction was enough to make Yuffie spin around to see what distracted Tifa, but of course there was nothing to be seen and then Tifa was dragging her down the street in the opposite direction, checking over her shoulder occasionally.

"What's wrong with you?" Yuffie questioned, and Tifa thanked the heavens for the small favor that her actions had at least distracted Yuffie from her barrage of questions.

Tifa waited to answer, pulling Yuffie around a corner and through the door of a small, dark cafe. A petite waitress showed them to a table, and they sat down, Tifa keeping her eye out the window the entire time. Yuffie huffed, blowing her hair out of her eyes.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

"I think we're being followed."

"Followed?" Yuffie glanced around wide-eyed. "Who would follow us?"

The person in question rounded the corner, spotting Tifa through the window of the cafe, and making no attempt to hide the fact that he had been following her. In fact, the easy, relaxed swagger in his stride and the smile which Tifa thought was meant to be charming, made it clear that he had wanted to be caught.

"Do me a favor and order for me Yuffie. I'll be back in a minute." Leaving her with the task, Tifa made her way to the restroom she had spotted in the back of the cafe, and once out of sight, slipped out the back door. In the alley behind the cafe, her pursuer was already waiting.

"What do you want, Reno?"

"You're pretty observant, Lockhart. Didn't take you any time at all to figure me out."

"Just get to the point, Reno."

"Whoa. What's the problem, Lockhart? I figured you'd be all happy, me backing off with the little one and all."

Little one. Just the fact that he called Marlene 'the little one' made a chill run down Tifa's spine. The more she thought about the two of them together, the creepier it got. And what was this about backing off? Did he really mean for it to continue? If only Tifa could figure out what Reno was up to.

"Stop playing games with me Reno, and just tell me what you want. I have things to do."

His chin tilted slightly as he studied her inquisitively, moving slightly closer to her, slowly, and an alarm went off in Tifa's brain, sending a wave of panic through her. Was he stalking her? The way he was looking at her, moving towards her, was almost, well, seductive. Instinctively, she stepped back from him, once, twice, her body stiffening as the tiny hairs on the back of her neck rose. Her back touched the wall behind her, and Reno raised an arm, placing his hand on the wall by her shoulder, slightly caging her, and then there was nowhere to run.

What the hell? A claustrophobic feeling rose in Tifa's chest and she was struck by a wave of nausea. Trying to slide out to her left, she was shocked when Reno's other hand skimmed delicately up her arm.

"What's the matter, Lockhart? Don't you like me?"

What the hell, indeed! His words, thankfully, broke the momentary paralysis her body was suffering from, and in a last ditch effort to get away, she shoved at him violently, nearly sending him into the opposite wall.

"Are you kidding me?" Forgetting about the back door to the cafe, Tifa turned to the entrance of the alley, where there was at least more light and fresh air, and finally voiced what she had been thinking, though not quite so politely. "What the fuck?" And as quickly as she made her way down the alley, her need to know what Reno wanted in the first place faded.

Reno followed, not trying to stop her, but keeping an easy pace with her and sounding far too amused with himself.

"But why?" He whined girlishly. "What is it you don't like about me?"

Tifa wheeled on him. "Where would I even start? You're a Turk? You work for Shinra? You're despicable? You're an ass, and you're after Cloud for something and you're using Marlene. Is that enough?" She blurted as she returned to marching her way out of the alley. "Or should I throw in a comment about your hair as well? Or maybe those stupid goggles."

"I'm sorry," Reno called after her, totally lacking any sincerity. "But I thought you had a thing for red-heads."

Instantly, the paralysis returned. For a blind second, Tifa stared into nothing, and then Reno was standing in front of her again, blocking the light.

"Something wrong, Lockhart? Did I touch a nerve?"

Tifa shook her head dumbly, her lips moving automatically.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"No? That's strange. Perhaps we should take a walk together. I'm curious to see what you find so interesting about that old Shinra place."


	28. Giving Chase

_Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for anyone who suffers shock when they find out I've updated this._

_If you've been wondering: No I haven't given up on this, and yes I will eventually finish it. I have the ending in mind; I just have to get the words to match the imagery. Though I did not respond to each comment individually, they are all appreciated and very encouraging. I wish they would give my muse a good kick in the butt._

_And, NO, this is not the last chapter.  
_

_When asked for help with a title for this chapter, rageofloki, on Tifa's behalf, suggested "I'm With Stupid". LOL. Poor Reno! But really, Tifa, you should have just sent him packing. Or at least slapped him._

_Enjoy,_

_fire mystic  
_

Giving Chase

Tifa couldn't have found words to describe the panic that had seized her and was setting all her nerves on edge. Reno was walking away, and all Tifa could do was stare after him, though she saw nothing but the blinding white of growing hysteria.

"You comin' or not, yo. I ain't got all day." Reno's words worked well enough to break the surface of her tension, and the brief respite let her regain some focus.

She quickly thought back on the conversation they had, if it could be called that, scrambling to piece together the bits of what he had said into a bigger picture of what he might actually know. Had he seen Genesis? Reno hadn't mentioned him by name, and that was a good thing, right? There certainly had to be more than one or two red-heads around, didn't there? Sadly, off the top of her head, she couldn't think of any that she knew, or that she might have been seen and associated with. But the worst of it was that he had mentioned this in combination with the Shinra facility. Had Reno been watching her? Following her? How much had he seen? How much did he know?

She had started walking, following him numbly, automatically. Whatever Reno knew, and he would never tell her the whole of it, she was not going to let him trap her into telling him any more. After all, she rationalized, maybe, just maybe, he was running his mouth on nothing but a few rumors he had picked up on, and was doing nothing more than fishing for more information. Keeping that in mind, Tifa decided to follow for now, neither admitting or denying anything that Reno had said.

She hesitated only briefly when they reached a car, obviously a Shinra vehicle, noticeable even without the Shinra plates that declared it so, and Reno nodded at the passenger side door for her as he slipped into the driver seat. Did she really want to get in a car with Reno? Could this be a ruse of some sort? No, she decided. Reno was more direct than that.

She sat in silence next to him as he drove, trying not to express in any way her annoyance at the smug grin that was plastered on his face. God, how she hated that grin. Thankfully, he didn't seem to have anymore taunts to make, and it was at least a quiet ride, even if the silence was uncomfortable.

Reno didn't take the same route out of town Tifa had the night she had met Genesis at the outpost, and she found some relief in that. It was short-lived when he finally stopped on the side of the road, and Tifa recognized the foothills she had traversed. She hadn't recognized the route they took to get there, but the final location was unmistakeable. The relief she had felt sank even further away as Reno led her unerringly along the same path she had followed. He turned to face her when they reached the hidden entrance.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it, Lockhart."

Not wanting to admit anything, Tifa gave him her best humoring expression.

"This is your adventure, Reno. I was just wondering if there was going to be popcorn." She found the momentary scowl that crossed his face deliciously satisfying, but it did nothing to abate the sinking feeling she had in her gut as she followed him into the tunnel.

Without hesitation, he led into the interior, the eery glow of the blue lights illuminating the way. One door to another, he checked each one, testing the handle, then opening it to check inside, taunting her as he went.

"Will it be this one, Lockhart? No? Well, let's check the next." And on he went, never disappointed when he didn't find anything, cocky and sure he was going to find something, acting as if every door was a present he was opening, and the next was going to be just what he wanted.

There was no comfort in the fact that he had a master key, and with each door, Tifa's heart beat a bit faster and rose a bit higher in her chest. She didn't know the extent to which Genesis was occupying the building, how many rooms he had been in or might have left a trace in. She didn't think they would catch Genesis off guard, but she was convinced that the proverbial game was up and the truth was about to be discovered. Would they round a corner to find Genesis ready to defend himself? Did Genesis have some kind of alarm set up, some way of knowing when someone was coming? Hard as she tried, Tifa couldn't think of a way to warn him without admitting anything to Reno, and she wasn't going to do that unless she absolutely had to.

And finally, there was no hiding it anymore. They had reached one of the rooms which Tifa knew Genesis was using. What now? If he wasn't there, what excuse could she use? Should she act surprised? Or as if a trace of inhabitance was perfectly normal, and why would she be surprised?

The tension mounted within her until she thought she might scream with frustration, and she hoped that Reno couldn't hear her heart beating as loudly as it sounded to her, and that he didn't notice her holding her breath at every turn. Or how she closed her eyes as he swung the door open and waited for the worst.

But nothing happened.

After checking the room as he had all the others, he backed out, pulling the door closed behind him. What? Bewildered, Tifa had to restrain herself from re-opening the door and looking for herself, but wouldn't that be a dead giveaway? No, she simply had to follow, determining that she would take a peek into the rest of the rooms he opened.

In the quick glances she took, there was nothing to be seen, no evidence that anyone had been within the building in the recent past, no papers, nothing disturbed. Everything was as it should have been in a deserted building.

At long last, they reached the door of the room Genesis was using to sleep in. Sure of Reno's victory, Tifa braced herself as he opened the door and walked into the room.

There were no exclamations of "A-HA!", no satisfied chuckle, no scuffle of two men fighting it out. Acting merely curious, Tifa followed Reno into the room.

Nothing. Nothing, and more nothing.

There wasn't a hint of Genesis in the room. Not a piece of clothing, not a book. Even the scent of him had faded. The bed at the far side of the room, the same one she had coalesced on, that they had made love on, was nothing but a frame covered with an old mattress. There were no sheets, no blankets, no pillows.

Of Genesis or any other occupant, there was no trace.

Instead of relief, Tifa's fear of what Reno was going to find and being outted before she was prepared to deal with it turned to an entirely different kind of fear which swirled around with confusion and left her feeling rather sick.

Maybe they weren't in the same Shinra facility. They all looked alike, right? And she could have gotten turned around on the way here and gotten confused about the trails looking the same. Right?

No. She knew that wasn't true. She knew they were in the same facility Genesis had brought her to. She hadn't been mistaken about that. But maybe she had mistaken how much presence Genesis had here. Could she have remembered wrong? Maybe there had been no coverings on the bed. Maybe he had just covered her with his jacket. Perhaps she had been hallucinating the whole thing.

Frustration was beginning to show on Reno's behalf. He wasn't finding what he thought he was going to find, and he was running out of places to look. As they came full circle to the entrance of the hidden tunnel, he wheeled on her, confronting her.

"Where is he, yo? I know you met someone here. Where is he?"

Shaking off the numbness she was feeling, Tifa blinked at Reno. He knew she had met someone here, but not who she had met.

"We just walked through the entire building and there was nothing there. What do you want me to say?"

She had always found a certain amusement when Reno got angry or frustrated. Now she was just tired.

"Just get in the car, yo. I'll take you home."

"Thanks a lot, but I think I'd rather walk." Seventh Heaven wasn't right around the corner, but it wasn't an impossible walk either, and there was no way she was getting in that car with Reno again.

His eyes narrowed, and she sensed the suspicion in them.

"You can follow me if you want to. It's your time your wasting. You've already wasted enough of mine." She started down the trail, leaving him standing at the doorway. Turning back after about twenty paces, she quipped, "And to think, you didn't even bring popcorn. Really Reno, you're a horrible host." She didn't want Reno to know how rattled she was, how tired she was. How confused she was.

The walk home did nothing to make her feel better. Questions raced through her mind, from how Reno knew she had met someone there, to what had happened to Genesis. All of it sloshed around in her head, until she got to a point where she doubted her own memories and sanity. Could she have imagined her rendezvous with Genesis? Or his rescuing her and bringing her to the Shinra facility to heal? Or maybe her timeline was screwed up. Maybe the monster had poisoned her and the poison had caused hallucinations and that's what she was remembering now.

Or maybe she was just losing her mind.

As it turned out, Reno did follow her home, creeping along behind her and taking off with a screech of tires as she reached Seventh Heaven. Oh, how she hated that man!

The bar was silent and dim, and she headed upstairs, which was nearly as silent, but a bit brighter. Denzel flew past her has she climbed the stairs, headphones stuck in his ears, and saluting her with the skateboard that was tucked under his arm.

"Be careful," she called after him, but wasn't sure he heard her over the music blasting. She listened for other sounds in the house, and not hearing anything, checked further to see who else was around. The office was empty and there was a note by the phone that indicated Cloud had taken a job that might keep him on the road for a couple of days. She walked past his room, contemplated knocking to make sure no one was there but thought better of it. If he was there by chance, she didn't really have it in her to deal with whatever mood he might be in. She approached Marlene's door as well, this time tapping gently before opening the door when there was no answer. Cloud could take care of himself, but Marlene was her responsibility, and she felt compelled to check on her. Marlene was nowhere in sight, but her diary lay on her bed.

Tifa had nearly retreated, pulling the door shut behind her, but the lure was too great. Maybe Marlene had left a note or something about where she had gone. Looking around the room for that note, trying to justify what she was about to do, Tifa finally gave into her curiosity and opened the diary to the last few entries. One about how angry Marlene was because Tifa interfered with Reno.

And one about how she was glad Tifa had never found out about her following her. And seeing her meet the "mystery man". And how she couldn't be sure but she thought the man had red hair.

The pieces started to click together and her encounter with Reno began to make a bit more sense, as did some of the things Marlene had said. Reno hadn't seen Tifa meeting Genesis after all. It had been Marlene the entire time. This was good and bad. On the good side, Marlene didn't know who Genesis was, obviously, or if she had ever heard of him, she didn't recognize him. On the bad, apparently Marlene and Reno were still talking to each other despite whatever messages Marlene had shown Tifa and her claims that Reno wasn't talking to her anymore. And now Marlene was working against Tifa, though Tifa doubted that Marlene was knowingly doing anything in favor of Shinra.

Squelching the anger that threatened to rise, Tifa made sure to leave the room exactly as it had been before going back to her own room and sinking down tiredly on the bed in the blissful peace of an empty house. Letting her brain wind down, logic and reason reasserted itself, and Tifa was finally able to think straight.

Something had most likely tipped Genesis off that he needed to get out of town. He had known he was taking a risk being this close to Edge, and probably had an escape plan in place. And though he had to bale quickly, he would find a way to let her know.

Tifa checked her phone. No message. She kept checking her phone, obsessively over the next few days. Still nothing. No message, no notes, no mail. No indication that Genesis was trying to get in touch with her. On the fourth day, she called Minna in the hopes her friend had heard something. After all, Genesis had contacted her since Tifa had returned from vacation. Minna would be the perfect person to leave a message with. Alas, Minna hadn't seen or heard from Genesis for quite some time. Sensing Tifa's distress, she promised to send Asa out to the Shinra facility nearby and the surrounding area to see if he could find Genesis. During their entire conversation, Tifa was very careful to identify Genesis as only "my friend" or "the friend I met when I was there". Minna, bless her heart, picked up on this, and followed suit, even during her follow-up phone calls.

Unfortunately, after two days searching, Asa found nothing. Genesis did not contact her.

And just like that, just as quickly and mysteriously as he had entered Tifa's life, Genesis was gone.


	29. From Darkness, Light

_Sorry about the delay on updating this, but as promised, I will finish what I start. The writing muses had stopped singing to me for a long time, and then life had her own curve balls to throw in my direction. It was not a good combination. _

_If you find any glaring inconsistencies, let me know. There were a couple of points I had to check on, but I think I got them all. _

_Thanks to all who are still reading out there and for all your comments, reviews, and encouragement. _

_Enjoy_

_fire mystic_

From Darkness, Light

At six thirty in the morning, Seventh Heaven was dark. It was, strangely enough, the quietest hour for the bar. It was the beginning of the lull between the end of the night clean-up and the restocking for the next night. It wasn't much of a break, but there was always an hour or two in there, early in the morning, when the dust got to settle.

Tifa didn't need lights to make her way to her room, which was dark as well, the window open to the freshness and quietness of the early morning air. If she didn't crash right away after a long night, she would sit up and enjoy these peaceful moments in a city that never seemed to sleep otherwise.

This morning, however, Tifa finally made it to her room and slumped to the floor in the corner of the room, pulled her knees up to rest her elbows on, and cradled her chin in her hands as she watched the sky outside brighten, preparing for a new day. She found no peace in this morning, nor had she found any in any morning for the past two months. She couldn't find anything outside the loneliness that had pierced her heart and wrapped itself around her soul.

Two months had felt like an eternity. Hell, every day felt like an eternity. But she held on, despite the loneliness and fatigue and worry, she kept waiting for Genesis to reappear. She held on to the belief that there was a good reason for his sudden departure, that there had been a good reason why he hadn't left some kind of sign, some message. She even wondered if somehow he had left a message and she had missed it. Was that possible? She had thought on numerous occasions to go searching for one, but caution had won out in the end. What if she was being watched? Reno had certainly suspected something, and she doubted he would give up so easily. If she went back to the old Shinra facility outside town and was found out, wouldn't that be like an admission of guilt? She had even thought of going back to the country, her secluded vacation setting, and checking there personally, but gave that a second thought as well. If she were being watched by Shinra goons, and she was sure she was, they'd be watching everything. It made her paranoia grow to the point where she didn't even want to pick up a phone to call Minna and Asa to see if they had found out anything.

The worst part was...hell, she couldn't decide what the worst part was. Was it that she had no idea what had happened to Genesis, or that he hadn't contacted her in any way since? Was it that she had to go through this alone, that despite her overwhelming feelings, she couldn't talk to anyone about this, and had no one to share her concerns and fears with, no one to help her make sense of it all? Was it that she knew Shinra was up to something, but she didn't really know what, and she couldn't really tell anyone?

Or was it that she would give anything for Genesis to appear through that open window and it just wasn't happening?

Keeping up this deception was taking its toll on her. Keeping a smile on her face and acting like everything was just fine while she felt like she was falling apart on the inside was exhausting work. She had to be so careful not to let any edginess or short-temperedness show, and it got harder every day. It didn't help that she was convinced that despite her best efforts, Yuffie and Marlene were watching her too closely, and that they were suspicious that something wasn't quite right.

In the meantime, while Tifa dealt with her issues silently, nothing else seemed quite right either. Marlene was more distant than ever, when she wasn't studying Tifa curiously from a distance. Yuffie didn't seem to be around as much as usual, and her surprise visits had dwindled considerably. Tifa counted that as a good thing; when Yuffie was there, she was also studying Tifa far too closely. Cloud seemed to be taking a lot of jobs lately that were keeping him on the road for at least a couple of days at a time, and when he was home, all he seemed to do was sleep. The only person in the house who seemed to be functioning anywhere close to normal was Denzel, who seemed to be running on remote, just going through the motions, and Tifa couldn't help but worry about that as well. After all, just going through the motions only lasted so long before it all went to hell, didn't it? Wasn't that always the way?

The sun was up, and Tifa didn't see a point in trying to get any rest. She took a quick shower and put on fresh clothes and headed down to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Denzel appeared as the coffee was brewing, fishing through the cabinet for a quick something for breakfast.

"Have you heard from Cloud?" he asked as he shuffled a box of cereal out of the way in favor of the box of blueberry pop-tarts.

"Not in a couple of days. Since he left. Why? Is everything okay?"

Silence followed and Tifa looked up to find Denzel staring at her disbelievingly.

"What? What did I say?" She pulled a mug out of the cabinet and set it near the coffee maker.

"A couple of days? Are you okay, Tifa? Cloud's been gone for six days. He's never gone that long without telling us or at least calling."

Six days? Had it been that long? Tifa counted back the days, trying to differentiate one from the other in her head. They all seemed to blur together. No, she hadn't realized he had been gone that long. Had something happened? Was he all right?

"This is all your fault, you know," Denzel asserted, and Tifa met the accusation with disbelief and shock.

"My fault? What..."

"Cloud loves you and you act like he doesn't even exist. And then you go and have an affair with some guy..."

"Denzel..."

"It's true, isn't it? You broke his heart! He's been getting more distant ever since you came back from that vacation you took. And lately you've been unbearable, always quiet and sad looking and not paying a bit of attention to anything." He broke for a breath, his anger drying up a bit, as if he were realizing he may have said too much. "Haven't you noticed how much he's been gone?"

How could she do anything but gape at him? And Denzel didn't wait for an answer. Shrugging, looking disgusted, he took a package of pop tarts, left the box on the counter, and beat a hasty retreat.

What was that she had thought about good things going to hell? She felt as if by thinking it, she had asked for a real reason to worry about Denzel as well.

Had she really been that out of it? That she hadn't noticed Cloud missing for that long? Yes, she thought, it was possible. She had been worrying about another missing man, and had left everyone else to fend for themselves.

She took her cup of coffee to Cloud's office and sat at his desk. First things first. She picked up the phone and called Cloud's cell. No answer, and when it finally rang through to the message center, the box was full. She couldn't even leave a message. Hanging up, she went through the paperwork that was on the desk. The papers were dated seven days ago, yes, a run to a small town a few hours outside Edge. It would have been a two day run at most, three if Cloud really took his time. But, as Denzel had pointed out, Cloud would have told someone if it were going to be longer. Yes, there had been a time when he might not have, but Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel had finally taught him that people worried about him when he didn't communicate and Cloud had been really good about keeping in touch when he was on the road.

There was nothing else that Tifa could see. Sitting back, she sipped at her coffee, thinking about what Denzel had said. Was she to blame for this? No, she couldn't take all the responsibility. Her feelings had belonged to Cloud for years, even when it was clear he wouldn't return them, and although it seemed he was hurt when he found out she had moved on, was it fair for him to expect her to backtrack now that she had found happiness?

But where was that happiness now? The thought crushed the air out of her. She didn't dare consider that the happiness might have been so short-lived.

But Denzel was right about one thing. She hadn't been paying close enough attention. Cloud, with his wounded soul and dark moodiness, was her friend, and despite her romantic feelings turning elsewhere, she would not give up on him. But she had been so consumed with her own wounds that she had missed a few things. Like where Cloud had disappeared to for at least the past three or four days.

As Tifa was considering how serious this might be, the phone rang, startling her. She stared at is as it rang two, three times, and finally decided to pick it up. Who knew? It could even be Cloud. Maybe he lost his cell phone.

"Seventh Heaven, Cloud Strife's office," she answered the phone.

"Tifa?"

It was a friendly voice, pleasantly surprised, that Tifa recognized immediately.

"Reeve? How are you?"

"Just fine, Tifa. How are you?"

"I'm doing okay," she fibbed. What else could she do? Tell him how her SOLDIER boyfriend had disappeared...but, oh! She didn't need to tell about Genesis, but if anyone could help find Cloud, it would be Reeve Tuesti.

"Yeah, I'm okay, but listen Reeve, have you heard from Cloud recently? He's been gone for a few days, and I haven't heard from him. I'm beginning to worry."

"Hm." Tifa knew that sound from him. In her mind, she could see him leaning back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling as he considered what she had said. "It's funny you mention Cloud. That's why I was calling. I've been trying to reach him for the past few days, and I haven't been able to get in touch with him."

"I just tried to call him, but couldn't reach him," she chimed in, and was concerned at the brief silence that followed.

"Listen Tifa, have you heard anything about Shinra lately?"

Gut clenching, Tifa knew somehow that this was not a change of subject, but that whatever Reeve was talking about, he was concerned Cloud may be involved somehow.

"What do you mean, Reeve?"

"I don't know...anything. On the street. Or...from Cloud?"

She didn't know much, but how much could she tell without there being more questions.

"Well...I'm not sure this is anything important, but Reno was showing up here a while back, trying to talk to Cloud about something. I asked Cloud about it, but he didn't tell me anything."

"Yes, that could be what he was calling about. He mentioned Shinra in his message to me, nothing specific, but that he had some concerns. Maybe it was something Reno said that gave him the idea."

"Maybe. He could also be worried about the new mutants."

"New...mutants?"

Uh-oh. Reeve didn't know about the new mutants that were wandering around Edge. Granted, Tifa had encountered one of them, but she had assumed that others had seen, that there had been talk, and Reeve had ears all over the place.

"Yeah," she had to be careful about how she explained this. Hopefully, Reeve wouldn't ask too many questions. "I encountered one in Edge. The Turks were there. They took care of it."

"Why didn't you let me know?"

Tifa couldn't help but laugh. "Honestly, Reeve, I figured you would have already known. I didn't realize it was such an isolated incident."

"No. No, I hadn't heard." He sounded tired. "I need to think about this, Tifa. Let me know if you hear anything from Cloud. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sure, Reeve. Talk to you soon." But the line was already dead.

Cloud missing, Reno seeming to butt into everybody's business, monsters appearing in Edge, Shinra apparently involved. And Tifa nursing a broken heart.

What was there to do now but study the desk and stare at her cold cup of coffee?

She finally let her brain off the hook, simply let it cast out, overlook, ignore all the darkness that had been building there, let it stop mulling over and worrying.

And as she stared blankly into the reflections in the cold black liquid, a horrible thought occurred to her.

What if Genesis hadn't simply disappeared? What if, like Cloud, he was missing as well? No, that wasn't right, but at least the wheels were turning again. If he had been missing, if Shinra had anything to do with it, Reno wouldn't have dragged her out to that old facility, wouldn't have been so upset when he found nothing there. But Reno had suspected. What if Genesis never got back in touch with her because Shinra caught up with him after that? What if...

The what if's took Tifa in a whole new direction, a direction she hadn't thought of before because she had been so absorbed in her own misery. But now...sitting up straight, she put the coffee cup on the desk, pushing it to the farthest corner. Opening the top drawer, she started pulling out papers and going through everything in detail, trying to see if Cloud made mention of anything that might give her direction. Just a little something, a small token that would prove that she was on the right track, that maybe, as in the past, everything was more closely connected than it seemed. And Shinra, she was sure, was at the root of that connection.

Paper after paper, a couple of file folders, some money in an envelope, and...jackpot. At the bottom of the drawer, a slim log book with the entry for Cloud's last run, with the notation "meet with Reno after?" next to it in Cloud's neat handwriting.

Looking back through the book, Tifa noticed a couple of other notations with Reno's name, simple things like "Reno stopped by".

Reno. Why did Tifa think that maybe Reno might have the answer to more than one puzzle?

Through the window that was ajar, Tifa picked up the sound of laughter, Marlene's she was sure. Closing the drawer on the ledger, Tifa looked out the window, and sure enough, there was Marlene. Walking down the street with Reno.

Speak of the devil.

Racing down the stairs, Tifa exited the building just as Reno and Marlene were approaching the door. Focus. That's what she needed. This was not about Marlene coming home in the morning, obviously having been out all night. It was not about Reno's arm around her, or about Marlene's arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him as they walked. It was not about Marlene flaunting in public a relationship that only a few weeks ago she hadn't wanted to admit to anyone. It wasn't about the lesson Marlene was about to learn about how out of control her rebellious behavior had become lately. And it wasn't about the very painful lesson Marlene was about to learn about being misled.

This, like everything else Shinra, had to do with finding out the truth behind the deception at any cost. And this was about Tifa protecting her own. Marlene. Cloud. Genesis.

At least Marlene had the good sense to step away from Reno after Tifa appeared. Hopefully there was a part of her that was thinking clearly enough to still realize that there was something so not right about this relationship.

Reno, on the other hand, as always, fell a bit short in the common sense department. Had he had an ounce, he would have known better than to smirk in the face of Tifa's anger and determination.

His smirk didn't last long. After all, there is nothing like a foot connecting with a jaw to wipe a smirk followed through with a hard punch to the gut and a spin-kick that dropped Reno to the ground like a rock. Marlene shrieked once, then went silent clinging to the wall of Seventh Heaven as Tifa pinned Reno to the ground, managing to fling his EMR to the far side of the street, and grabbed him by the ear, forcing him to look at her.

"Game's over, you bastard."


End file.
